UN mission starts leaving Georgian territories after Russian veto

United Nations monitors began pulling out of disputed Georgian republics on Tuesday and the OSCE officially closed its observer mission, after inspecting security there for almost a year after the former Soviet republic's war with Russia, Reuters reports.

A deadline for the OSCE to withdraw passed on Tuesday after negotiations with Russia broke down in May. The mission conducted its last patrol on Friday, and has already left its hillside headquarters in the Georgian capital, Tbilisi.

Russia rejected extending the mandates of some 130 UN monitors in breakaway Abkhazia and 20 monitors of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, who operated in rebel South Ossetia until last August's war.

Moscow recognized the territories as independent states after crushing a Georgian assault on South Ossetia in a five-day war. Russia demanded separate monitoring missions for the regions, which Georgia said would violate its sovereignty.

Greek Foreign Minister and OSCE chair Dora Bakoyanni lamented the lack of consensus.

"As a result, one of the largest on-the-ground missions of the OSCE in the region was led to an end - despite the clear need, recognized by many states taking part in it, for the organization to be present in order to contribute toward security and stability in the region."

In Abkhazia on Monday, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Edmond Mulet said UN military and police monitors would start leaving on Tuesday and complete the withdrawal by July 15, a month after Russia vetoed a new mandate, Abkhaz media reported.