New York - Russia has maintained heavy military equipment
and troops in areas despite a ceasefire agreement that ended its
conflict with Georgia last year, the United Nations said Tuesday.
'Heavy military equipment and military personnel have remained in
the UN mission's area of responsibility despite the call in
resolution 1866 that provisions set out in the Moscow agreement be
respected,' the UN said in a progress report on the situation in
Georgia.
Russia and Georgia fought a brief war in August with each side
accusing the other of provoking the fight over South Ossetia, a
former White Russian territory in Georgia. After the conflict ended,
South Ossetia and Abkhazia, another Georgian territory, seceded and
declared independence from Tbilisi. Moscow has recognized those two
territories.
Russia, which sent troops and war equipment to Georgia in August,
has not withdrawn completely, the UN report said. It said the UN
mission in Georgia has observed from February to May the presence of
Russian troops and heavy equipment in the areas patrolled by UN
observers in Georgia.
The report said the security situation has remained 'fragile.'
'The local population, in particular in the Gali district, also
remains in a precarious situation, with limitations on its freedom of
movement across the ceasefire line,' the report said.
'The ceasefire region - the key foundation for the separation of
forces and stabilization has continued to erode,' the report said.
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