Kodori, Pankisi – Hotspots of Georgia
Tensions between Russia and Georgia might spill over from Pankisi gorge to Georgian controlled Kodori gorge in breakaway province of Abkhazia. In recent years situation in these parts of Georgia becomes the reason of tension between Russia and Georgia. The latest developments in upper Kodori would further aggravate Russo-Georgian relations.
Georgian President’s representative to Kodori Emzar Kvitsiani claims that together with Abkhaz fighters, Russian soldiers are among the armed group, which has entered upper Kodori on August 8-11. Georgian Ministry of Defense (MoD) reports that up to 100 Abkhaz fighters entered the gorge. Neither the Georgian President nor MoD confirms the report that the Russian servicemen are involved in the incident.
“Reports that the Abkhaz fighters entered Georgian controlled Kodori gorge are unfortunately true,” Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze said in his traditional Monday radiobroadcast on August 12, saying nothing concerning the possible involvement of Russian troops in this accident. The President said that the UN Secretary-General’s special representative to Georgia is informed concerning the Abkhazians’ move.
Emzar Kvitsiani told the reporters on August 11 that the group of armed Abkhaz fighters and Russian soldiers opened fire at a Georgian helicopter he was flying, causing no casualties. The aircraft was performing a patrolling flight over the gorge. Emzar Kvitsiani, who also is the Commander of the Kodori Direction of the Georgian Armed Forces, started mobilization of his troops. He set an ultimatum to the armed group to leave the gorge by noon of August 13.
The Russian side has already dismissed accusations of Georgian local authority. However, the Abkhaz side admitted that they did open preventive fire at the helicopter, but refuses dispatching troops to Georgian controlled territory. Foreign Minister of the unrecognized republic Sergei Shamba told the Interfax news agency that the Abkhazian side has warned Georgians not to conduct any flights in Abkhazia without prior agreement with Sukhumi (capital of breakaway Abkhazia). Russia backs up Sukhumi’s position accusing Georgia in violation of 1994 Moscow agreement, considering demilitarization of Kodori gorge.
It is a second incident in the past two weeks in Kodori. On July 31, 30 Russian border guards set up a camp in the Georgian controlled territory. They left the Georgian territory only after the negotiations directly with the Defense Minister David Tevzadze.
Upper Kodori gorge is the only part of breakaway Abkhazia controlled by the Georgian government. Abkhazians fear that the Georgian side might use the strategic gorge for launching military operation against the authorities in Sukhumi. On the other hand Georgian government is alarmed with the possible attack of Abkhazians, who with the Russians assistance might take over the gorge and gain the control over the entire territory of Abkhazia. At the moment together with the units of the Georgian Border Guards, units of the local armed Georgian population defend the troubled gorge.
Aggravation of situation in Kodori followed an increase of tensions between Georgian and Russia over Pankisi gorge. Russian Defense and Foreign Ministers almost every day accuse Georgia for abetting the terrorists, stating, “Georgia becomes the ‘nest’ of international terrorism.”
Russian side demands conduction of the joint Russian-Georgian anti-terrorist operation in Pankisi, where, as they claim, Chechen fighters and international terrorist groups are hiding. But Tbilisi keeps refusing. During the last couple of weeks, military helicopters and fighter jets bombed the gorge three times, entering the Georgian airspace from Russia Federation.
Despite all these, the Georgian President is quite optimistic about the future of Georgian-Russian relations. On August 12 in radiobroadcast Shevardnadze did not comment accusations of the Russian side and stated that they will not influence relations between the two countries.
“Drafting the Georgian-Russian framework agreement is approaching its completion. The agreement will definitely improve our relations and increase mutual trust,” Shevardnadze said. However, recent tensions between Russia and Georgia and the diplomatic war between the two countries questions the issue of signing of the agreement on friendship and cooperation. Situation in Georgia’s two troubled gorges would greatly determine Russo-Georgian relations.
By Giorgi Sepashvili, Civil Georgia
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