Mediator Businessmen Hopeful over Resolving Adjara Crisis

Georgian businessmen, who held talks with Adjarian leader Aslan Abashidze on April 15, expressed hopes after talks that standoff between Tbilisi and Batumi will not grow into hostilities.

?We have received confirmation from both sides that none of them wants war. This is the most important,? Badri Patarkatsishvili, who led a group of businessmen, told a press conference after the talks with Abashidze.

?The President of Georgia and the Adjarian leader expressed trust towards Georgian businessmen that enables us to actively join the process of defusing the tension between Tbilisi and Batumi. This is the trust expressed towards Georgian business and we are ready to justify this trust,? Mamuka Khazaradze, founder of the TBC Bank, said after the talks in Batumi. 

The businessmen retrained readiness to continue mediating between the central authorities and Adjarian leadership. ?We will arrive in Batumi next week again,? Patarkatsishvili said.

Businessmen refrained from revealing details of the talks. ?Please do not ask about the details at the moment,? MP Gogi Topadze, a beer magnate told reporters.

Aslan Abashidze made no comments after the meeting with the businessmen.

This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian)