MP Says Kodori Under Danger

(Tbilisi, September 10, 2002, Civil Georgia) – MP Irakli Batiashvili, Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Defense and Security, stated at the Parliamentary session today that situation in Georgian controlled Kodori gorge, breakaway Abkhazia, remains tensed because of the Abkhaz militants’ presence in the gorge.

Abkhaz fighters infiltrated Georgian controlled upper Kodori gorge in August and were deployed 30-35 kilometers away from the Georgian villages in the gorge. After the talks Abkhaz side agreed to withdraw from upper Kodori and to start the joint mine-clearing activity of the area with the Georgina side.

Batiashvili claims that the deterioration of situation in the gorge is anticipated. He said that Russia could use the Abkhaz fighters deployed in the gorge for escalating tensions in the gorge.

The situation in Kodori gorge was discussed during the meeting of Georgina Special Affairs Minister Malkhaz Kakabadze and UN Secretary-General’s special representative to Georgia Heidi Tagliavini today.

Malkhaz Kakabadze told the Civil Georgia that the meeting was confidential and the mine-clearing operation, as well as the issue of the monitoring of the gorge by the UN observers was discussed.

This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)