The Resonance; The Dilis Gazeti; The Alia; The Akhali Taoba
For the first time after a tree-year stern denial President Shevardnadze admitted the existence of armed Chechen guerrillas in Georgia. There are about 400 Caucasian warriors in Pankisi and Kodori gorges, the Law Enforcement Agencies declared. “Getting involved in a war poses threat to Georgia”, the Resonance states. According to the press, a Georgian division has also joined the group, which aim to initiate military actions in Abkhazia.
“President Shevardnadze found it necessary to negotiate with Russia only after the scent of upcoming destabilization appeared in Georgia”, the Resonance says. It assumes that “Shevardnadze is scared”. Everyone admits now that Georgia faces a war.
Military operations are expected not only in Abkhazia. Fear of President of Georgia is not groundless either. MP of Russian Duma Council Vladimer Zhirinovski told the Alia that Russia would bomb Pankisi valley. The Resonance reminds its reader that Russia has already bombed territory of Georgia during the war in Chechnya; thus bombing the country again is absolutely expected.
The Dilis Gazeti blames Georgian government in the situation formed in the country and points at its feebleness. State officials are concerned about their own faith only and care less about events occurring in the country, the newspaper states. The argument it brings is that the government has been interested in the issue of Chechen guerrillas for couple days only even though soap opera of accusations from the Russian side started much longer ago.
MPs getting interested in the issue was so spontaneous that now they are not well informed at all and just make general statements concerning the guerrillas being in Georgia, the newspaper says.
The Dilis Gazeti has published opinions of MPs concerning further steps of the government: “In difference with others leader of the faction Socialist stated his position clearly and suggested his colleagues to hold peaceful and diplomatic negotiations with Russia. Ex-state security minister Irakli Batiashvili thought it would be better if Georgia repealed its image of terrorism protector country”.
“State, which has no military potential and is for solving problems through force, provokes its population”, member of the opposition Valeri Gelbakhiani stated (the Akhali Taoba). It is obvious the MP regards the events occurring in Abkhazia inspired by Georgian government representatives.