Four UN hostages in Georgia released

Four members of the United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) taken hostage last week have been released unharmed, the mission said today.

The incident occurred when a joint UN Mission and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) peacekeeping force were patrolling in the upper Kodori Valley, scene of previous clashes in the Georgia-Abkhazia conflict.

The CIS soldiers were released shortly but not the UN personnel - two military observers, a paramedic and a local interpreter.

UNOMIG confirmed that its four personnel were released in an unspecified location at approximately 10 p.m. local time yesterday.

The Mission's Chief Military Observer had a telephone conversation with the released staff this morning and all reported that they were well. The team later arrived at Tbilisi.

Hédi Annabi, Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, reported on the release of the four UNOMIG personnel during a session of the Security Council.