Following recent statements made by Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, the Russian Foreign Ministry issued a statement on August 6 claiming that Russia is capable of defending its citizens who are vacationing in Georgia?s breakaway Abkhazia.
Earlier President Saakashvili said that ?Abkhazia is no place for a rest. It is a zone of conflict.?
?By making such a statement, the Georgian side aims to destabilize the situation in the region, disrupt the tourist season and cause damage to the economy of Abkhazia, thus blocking one of the major sources of income for the population of Abkhazia. Georgia keeps confirming that Abkhazia is a component of Georgia; so this means that Tbilisi intends to impose sanctions and blockade upon its own country,? the statement reads.