The Georgian-Abkhazian conflict was in the highlight at the briefing at the US State Department.

"The latest events in Georgia cause our very serious concern", said the US State Department spokesman Mr. McCurry. "We directly informed both parties in the Georgian-Abkhazian conflict about our concern. We continue to work with the participants of the CSCE Minsk group with the aim of bringing the adversaries in this conflict to the negotiation table whose results would be cessation of belligerencies. We are watching the development of the situation in the region very attentively," he continued, "As far as we understand president Edward Shevardnadze does not maintain any direct dialogue with the leaders of the parliament on the ways to solve the issues which became a cause for his primary decision to retire."

Answering a question of a correspondent that according to the available information the Abkhazian insurgents surrounded Sukhumi while Russia put forward sort of an ultimatum, Mr. McCurry said: "I have no idea about the Russian ultimatum, but I am fully aware of the information concerning the renewal of intensive military actions in Abkhazia. The cease-fire agreement achieved in Sukhumi on July 27 in Sochi to our mind is a basis to elaborate a peace agreement between the parties. We call upon the parties to follow its spirit and letter".