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Talks between Abkhazian government, opposition kick off in Defense Ministry

Addressing protesters in front of the presidential administration building, MP Erik Rshtuni said that the Ministry of Defense was chosen as the negotiating venue

SUKHUM, November 18. /TASS/. Members of the Abkhazian government and opposition are kicking off talks, mediated by the parliament, on ending the country’s domestic political crisis.

A representative from the Coordination Council, uniting the opposition and public organizations, told a TASS correspondent that the talks will be held on the premises of the Defense Ministry.

"The talks are kicking off in the Defense Ministry. The government is represented by Vice President Badra Gunba, Chairman of the State Customs Committee Otar Khetsia, and David Piliya, a civic leader. The opposition is represented by Adgur Ardzinba, leader of the Abkhazian Popular Movement, member of the People's Assembly of Abkhazia Kan Kvarchia, and Levan Mikaa, chairman of the Committee for the Defense of Abkhaz Sovereignty," the source told TASS.

Addressing protesters in front of the presidential administration building, MP Erik Rshtuni said that the Ministry of Defense was chosen as the negotiating venue. "I don’t know how long the talks will last, we hope that the result will satisfy everyone. Let’s stick around and wait," he said.

On November 15, Abkhazia’s parliament was scheduled to consider ratifying the agreement with Russia on investment projects by Russian legal entities in the republic. The parliament canceled the session because the deputies failed to approve the agenda. The opposition demanded that the parliament be reconvened to remove the issue from the agenda.

Later, the opposition demanded that President Aslan Bzhania resign. However, Bzhania refused to step down and called on people not to yield to provocations.

Meanwhile, Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov said that relations with Abkhazia are among Russia’s priorities and called for the soonest normalization of the situation in that country. Deputy speaker of Russia’s Federation Council, or upper house of parliament, Konstantin Kosachev, told TASS earlier that Russia supports the constitutional order in the friendly country and stressed that Russia has never supported coups d’etat.

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