09/03/2001 (Agence Europe) - The Council of Europe called on Abkhazian authorities to renounce de facto the unilateral organisation of "local elections" on 10 March. A large part of the inhabitants of the region, forced to flee their homes due to the armed conflicts of 1993 and 1998, still live like refugees in other regions of Georgia or abroad. "It is not in the interest of the Abkhazian party to be seen as an opponent to the international community, seeking to undermine all efforts undertaken to reach a rapid and comprehensive settlement of the conflict by peaceful political means", stress the presidents of the Committee of Ministers, Latvian Foreign Minister Indulis Berzins and the president of the Parliamentary Assembly, Lord Russell-Johnston, as well as the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Walter Schwimmer. They note that the claimed elections cannot be legitimate.