29 April 2008, 11:47
Russian Foreign Affairs: Georgia gets ready to military operation against Abkhazia
Georgia is transporting weapons, POL (petroleum, oil and lubricants), foodstuffs and other material and technical means to the upper section of the Kodor Gorge, and deploys national armed forces there. The aggregate strength of Georgian army and police units currently present in the Upper Gorge exceeds 1500 persons. This is reported in today's comment of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
"Composition analysis of the armed forces now present in allows concluding that a foothold is being prepared for launching a military operation against Abkhazia," the Russian foreign office has stated.
"Despite the appeals contained in the recent resolutions of the UN Security Council and recommendations of the Group of Friends of the UN Secretary General on Georgia, the latter party is persistently refusing to sign documents on non-use of force in settling conflicts with Sukhumi and Tskhinvali," the RIA "Novosti" quotes the MFA's comment.
The "Caucasian Knot" has already informed that on April 17 the Abkhazian party stated that Georgia had deployed its troops in the Zugdidi District and upper section of the Kodor Gorge. In his turn, David Kezerashvili, Minister of Defence of Georgia, declared on April 18 that there was no concentration of military regiments near the Abkhazian border along the Inguri River.
On April 25, Georgian TV Company "Rustavi-2" broadcasted news that additional troops are deployed in the Galsky District of Abkhazia in the Georgian-Abkhazian conflict zone on decision of the latter.