Russian Foreign Ministry issued a statement on May 2 calling Georgia’s central authorities for restraint towards defiant Adjarian Autonomy.
“Recent developments in Adjara trigger serious concerns,” the statement reads.
“Use of force against Adjara would have catastrophic consequences. The existing problems should be solved through dialogue,” the Russian Foreign Ministry’s statement reads.
Adjarian leadership exploded two key bridges, linking the region with the rest of Georgia on May 2. Georgian President Saakashvili condemned act as “a provocation.”
“Abashidze wanted us to use force, but we will not yield to this provocation,” Mikheil Saakashvili said at a news briefing.
He gave 10-day ultimatum to Abashidze to disarm his paramilitary forces, otherwise threatened to cancel Adjarian government and parliament and hold snap elections in the region.