Armed Clash in Kodori

(Tbilisi, Civil Georgia, August 13, 2002) – Reports say today armed clash occurred between Georgians and Abkhaz fighters infiltrated in Georgian controlled upper Kodori gorge in breakaway Abkhazia. No fatalities reported.

Abkhaz side as well as the Georgian side confirms the information accusing each other in opening the fire first.

The armed clash occurred while the Georgian State Minister Avtandil Jorbenadze and Abkhaz Prime Minister Anri Jergenia held talks in Chuburkhinji, village in Abkhazia concerning the situation in Kodori gorge.

UN Secretary-General’s special representative to Georgia Heidi Tagliavini and leadership of the Russian peacekeepers in the conflict zone also participated in the meeting. Georgian State Minister intends to arrive in Kodori today.

The tensions in troubled gorge escalated after the group of Abkhaz fighters entered the upper Kodori, which is the only territory in the breakaway province controlled by the Georgian government.

Georgian President’s representative to Kodori gorge Emzar Kvitsiani set an ultimatum on August 12 to the armed group threatening to force them to leave the gorge in case they do not withdraw peacefully till August 13.

At the moment Georgian border guards and the local armed Georgian population defend the strategic gorge.