Georgian Official Says Tensions Waning in Gali
Tensions seem to be declining in breakaway Abkhazia?s Gali district as most local Georgians have been released by the Abkhaz authorities, Georgian State Minister Merab Antadze said on December 29.
He said that ?only a few Georgians out of 38? arrested in the Gali district in recent days remain in custody, ?and they will also be released soon.?
?Tensions in Gali have almost been defused,? Antadze told reporters.
The Abkhaz authorities deployed additional forces in this predominately Georgian-populated district after two separate attacks on December 25 and on December 26 killed three Abkhaz militiamen in Gali, including influential Abkhaz warlord Otar Turnanba.
Sokhumi accused Tbilisi of being behind the attacks, but officials in Tbilisi say that the murders of the three Abkhaz militiamen was a result of clashes between local criminal groups.
Officials in Sokhumi said that security measures have been heightened in Gali following the attacks.
?You know, there has been a confrontation between the Abkhaz law enforcers and now [the Abkhaz side] wants to put the responsibility for this incident on the local Georgians, who have partially returned to Gali,? Georgian PM Zurab Nogaideli told reporters on December 29.
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