U.S. Calls upon Abashidze to Disarm Militia
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| Blown up bridge at Choloki river. |
President Saakashvili has given Abashidze until May 12 to disarm the region’s militias or have his government dissolved, after the Adjarian leadership blew up key bridges linking region with the rest of Georgia.
U.S. Department of State spokesman commented on May 3 regarding the recent developments in Adjara and questioned Autonomy’ leader Aslan Abashidze’s “commitment to serving the people of Adjara.”
“We’re deeply concerned about Adjarian leader Abashidze’s decision to destroy two bridges that link Adjara and other parts of Georgia … Abashidze’s actions lead us to question his commitment to serving the people of Adjara,” Richard Boucher, a spokesman of the U.S. Department of State said at a news briefing in Washington on May 3.
“Recent steps taken by Mr. Abashidze and his government raise concerns that he may be trying to provoke a military crisis with Georgia’s newly democratically elected leadership, rather than try to resolve the situation peacefully,” Richard Boucher added.
Washington also called upon Adjarian leader Abashidze to disarm the paramilitary forces in Adjara, “as he’s previously agreed to do.”
In mid-March Mikheil Saakashvili and Aslan Abashidze stroke a deal in Batumi and Abashidze pledged to disarm his militia groups; however month later, on April 13 he refused to follow commitment.
U.S. official welcomed President Saakashvili’s announcement that Georgia would not use force, and he also said that the United States “continues to encourage the Government of Georgia to use political and economic tools in its efforts to restore the rule of law in Adjara.”
President Saakashvili reiterated on May 3, that the country’s central authorities do not plan use of force to solve the Adjara crisis. However, he warned Aslan Abashidze that refusal to disband paramilitary forces would have “negative consequences for him [Abashidze].”
The U.S. Department of States also expressed concerns regarding the negative economic impact of recent developments in Adjara.
“These steps [explosion of key bridges and cutting railway link] disrupt key international transportation links and investments linking Georgia with Azerbaijan and Europe. They’re providing lifelines for the people of Adjara to the rest of Georgia,” Richard Boucher said.
Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania said on May 3 halt of railway connection with Adjarian Autonomy would be a blow for Georgian Railway and for oil terminal in port of Batumi.
Oil from Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan is supplied to Batumi terminal by rail from Azerbaijani capital Baku. More than 23,000 tone of oil was shipped in the port of Batumi on May 1.
“Georgian railway continued transportation of oil on May 2 and on May 3, but oil has never reached Batumi because the rail link with Adjara is disrupted,” Tamuna Machavariani, a spokesperson for the Georgian Railway told Civil Georgia.
Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania also said, that 3,7 million Lari (USD 1,85 million) will be needed for reconstruction of the main, Choloki bridge.
The U.S. Department of States has also condemned frequent human right violations in Adjara and questioned Aslan Abashidze’s commitment to the democratic process.
“Over the past few months, we’ve noted our concerns about Mr. Abashidze’s willingness to allow human rights activists and journalists in Adjara to be harassed and abused; such incidents have included brutal beatings and arrests on false pretenses. The reports by international observers of extensive fraud in Adjara during the November 2nd parliamentary elections also calls into question Mr. Abashidze’s commitment to the democratic process that subsequently emerged in the rest of Georgia,” Richard Boucher said.
The U.S. official also said that Washington is in frequent talks with Moscow over the situation in the troubled Adjarian Autonomy. He said that the U.S. always tries to encourage Russia “to take steps to calm the situation and to keep Mr. Abashidze from provoking military confrontation.” Russia has a military base stationed in the Adjarian capital Batumi.
The U.S. criticism over the Adjarian leader’s moves came as good news for the Georgian central authorities, which appealed the international community to condemn Aslan Abashidze’s activity. However, Council of Europe moderate statement made on May 2 over Adjara developments triggered Georgia’s protest.
Georgian Foreign Minister Salome Zurabishvili criticized statement of the Council of Europe Secretary General Walter Schwimmer as “incorrect.”
In his statement on May 2 Walter Schwimmer said, while commenting explosion of bridges in Adjara, “it is shocking to hear, that in … Georgia bridges are exploded because the central and the local [Adjarian] authorities have lost their ability to dialogue.”
“Explosion of bridges does not mean that the central authorities of Georgia and Adjara’s regional leadership have lost their ability to dialogue as marked in the CoE statement. Simply, this act was directed by one person [Aslan Abashidze] against his own people,” Salome Zurabishvili, Georgian Foreign Minister told Rustavi 2 television late on May 3.
She also said that the Georgian Foreign Ministry has already urged the Council of Europe to make urgent corrections to the statement.
Meanwhile, Adjarian leader Aslan Abashidze said on May 3, that disarmament of his forces within 10 days, as demanded by President Saakashvili, is impossible. “The ultimatum cannot be fulfilled – it is physically impossible to disarm the republic in 10 days,” Abashidze told Russia news agency RIA Novosti.