Russia: Putin Meets With Presidents From Caucasus

Moscow, 20 June (RFE/RL) - Russian President Vladimir Putin met with the presidents of Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia today both separately and then as a group in the "three plus one" format. Few details have been provided but the four presidents were expected to discuss security in the Caucasus--specifically Russia's military campaign in Chechnya--the dispute over Nagorno-Karabakh, and Georgia's breakaway territory of Abkhazia was also on list of topics for discussion. Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov said earlier today at a meeting of CIS foreign ministers that the mandate of CIS peacekeepers in Abkhazia will be prolonged until January 1, 2001.

Putin, Aliev, Kocharian, and Shevardnadze will all meet again tomorrow for the CIS summit.