12 January 2005, 23:57
Georgian police units move to villages bordering on Abkhazia
Elite units of the Georgian armed forces have moved today in the villages of Ganmukhuri and Khurcha in Georgia's Zugdidi district, situated near Abkhazia's Gali district. They will assure the safety of people in these villages, announced Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania. Georgian policemen received an order to liquidate everyone who will dare attack the Georgian villages and put up resistance to the law enforcers, the Caucasian Knot correspondent was told at the office of the Georgian president's envoy in the Samegrelo - Zemo Svaneti region Gigi Ugulava.
Abkhazian Defense Minister Vyacheslav Eshba explains the bringing of Georgian forces in Georgia's Zugdidi district by the holding of a presidential election in Abkhazia. "As soon as palling stations close, everything will fall into pace," the Abkhazian defense minister stated emphasizing that "the Georgian authorities will be able to do no provocations on our territory."
It is worth noting that yesterday, an incident occurred which resulted in the hostage-taking of residents of the Georgian village of Ganmukhuri. The attackers were members of the group of Abkhazian gangster Turanba, preliminary reports say.