Adjarian Leader, U.S. Envoy Discussed Tbilisi-Batumi Relations

After the talks with Adjarian leader Aslan Abashidze today, U.S. ambassador to Georgia Richard Miles told reporters that the meeting mainly focused on relations between the central and local authorities.

Aslan Abashidze said that representatives of the Adjara Autonomous Republic would visit Tbilisi and further discuss with the central authorities those problems, which were outlined by the Adjarian leader during his talks with State Minister Zurab Zhvania on December 20.

“Zurab Zhvania, as well as Nino Burjanadze [the Interim President] will visit Batumi and we’ll continue talks. There is no problem with holding elections in Adjara; we only want our demands to be met,” Aslan Abashidze told reporters.  

The Adjarian leader also said on December 20 after the meeting with Zurab Zhvania that the Supreme Court’s decision to annul the results of the party-list vote in the November 2 parliamentary elections was unconstitutional as only the Constitutional Court is empowered to do so.