[A-List] War Inevitable: Georgian Leader 'Was Put There To Blow Up Caucasus'

[Rick Rozoff]

1) Adjarian Leader: War Is Inevitable; If Saakashvili
Begins Bloodletting, Adjaria Will Secede
2) Georgian Strongman Summons 'International
Community' To Contain Russian Military Movements In
Adjaria
3) New Georgian War Council Enforces 'Humanitarian'
Blockade Against Adjaria
4) Georgia: Economic Blockade 'Only Solution' To
Adjarian Issue
5) State Of Emergency, Curfew Declared In Besieged
Adjaria
6) Georgia Gives Adjaria 24-Hour Ultimatum
7) Adjaria To Defy Georgian Ultimatum
8) Georgian Ultimatum To Expire 22:30 Hours Moscow
Time
9) President Of Abkhazia: Aggravation Of Tensions May
Lead To Civil War





1)
http://www.rosbaltnews.com/2004/03/15/66000.html

Rosbalt News (Russia)
March 15, 2004


War Inevitable, Adjarian Chief Fears


-A source in the Adjarian leader's entourage told
Rosbalt: 'If Saakashvili starts the bloodletting, we
will immediately declare our removal from Georgia.'



BATUMI, March 15. Aslan Abashidze, leader of the
Adjarian Autonomous Republic, expressed strong doubt
today that he can reach any sort of understanding with
Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili. The Adjarian
chief made the statement while flying to Batumi from
Moscow, a Rosbalt correspondent reported.

'He is mad, literally mad!' Abashidze said of
Saakashvili. 'He's been put there to blow up the
Caucasus.'

The Adjarian leader said war in the Caucasus was now
unavoidable. 'He can't turn back at this point,'
Abashidze said of Saakashvili. 'This is a terrible
disgrace, and everybody knows it.'

A source in the Adjarian leader's entourage told
Rosbalt: 'If Saakashvili starts the bloodletting, we
will immediately declare our removal from Georgia.'
------------------------------------------------------
2)
http://www.rosbaltnews.com/2004/03/15/65997.html


Rosbalt News (Russia)
March 15, 2004

Mikhail Saakashvili Asks that Russia Control
Activities of Russian Military Base in Batumi


-Saakashvili...said that he has called upon the
international community to ensure that not a single
tank will leave the confines of the base.



TBILISI, March 14. 'I ask that the government of
Russia bring under control the activities of the
Russian military base,' Georgian President Mikhail
Saakashvili told journalists. 'This is sovereign
Georgian territory, and it will lead to tragedy and
misfortune,' he said.

According to Saakashvili, information has been
spreading that the Russian military base in Batumi
might interfere in the conflict with Adjaria.
Saakashvili also said that he has called upon the
international community to ensure that not a single
tank will leave the confines of the base. 'I give this
clan (Abashidze) time to think it over. I am not
asking anything of anyone,' he said. Saakashvili
called upon the population of Adjaria 'not to take up
arms in the interests of those who would make money
off of the people of the autonomy.' He promised that
Adjaria would be brought under full control, including
the port, customs and other installations. 'The
activities of illegal armed groups in the autonomy
will be stopped,' he declared.
------------------------------------------------------
3)
http://en.rian.ru/rian/index.cfm?prd_id=160&msg_id=4054530&startrow=1&date=2004-\
03-15&do_alert=0

Russian Information Agency (Novosti)
March 15, 2004


GEORGIAN LEADERSHIP CREATES ANTI-CRISIS CENTRE ON
ADZHARIA


-The president of Georgia pointed out that the centre
would be instructed with the solution of issues
related to banning any non-sanctioned movements
towards and from Adzharia. With this aim in view the
Georgian border forces will take the water area of the
Batumi port under special control.


POTI (RIA Novosti) -- Georgian leadership made a
decision to create a special anti-crisis centre on
Adzharia, president of Georgia Mikhail Saakashvili
said on Monday at a emergency session of the Georgian
government in Poti (Western Georgia), which discussed
the situation in the autonomy.

"Our main task is to defend democracy and human
rights, as well as disarm and neutralize armed people
in Adzharia. For this purpose we are creating an
anti-crisis centre, which will be situated in Poti,"
the president said.

The Novosti-Georgia information agency quotes Mikhail
Saakashvili as saying that the anti-crisis centre will
be headed by prime minister Zurab Zhvaniya.

"The main sphere of its work will be humanitarian
activity connected with the protection of people and
their rights, and gathering information about
repressions against them in the autonomy," Mr.
Saakashvili reported.

The president of Georgia pointed out that the centre
would be instructed with the solution of issues
related to banning any non-sanctioned movements
towards and from Adzharia. With this aim in view the
Georgian border forces will take the water area of the
Batumi port under special control. "These measures are
being taken not to let arms and military hardware
penetrate Adzharia," Mikhail Saakashvili stressed.
------------------------------------------------------
4)
http://www.geotimes.ge/gtnews.php?cat1=1#5134

Daily Georgian Times
March 15, 2004


Economical blockade in Adjara – “only solution” for
the center


(GT News)Today the Prime Minister declared while the
meeting with the representatives of the “Chveni
adjara” (Our Adjara) oppositional movement in the
region that the Leader of the Autonomous Republic
Aslan Abashidze put the population of Batumi in
complete isolation and the only solution for the
central government is to create economical blockade in
the region.
------------------------------------------------------
5)
http://www.interfax.com/com?item=Geor&pg=0&id=5703959&req=

Interfax (Russia)
March 15, 2004


State of emergency declared in Ajaria


Batumi. (Interfax-AVN) - Ajaria's leader Aslan
Abashidze has confirmed that a state of emergency has
been declared in the autonomous republic and a curfew
has been introduced there.

Abashidze avoided giving a direct answer to questions
about the possibility of mobilizing the republic's
population, but said: "I am not hiding the fact that
the entire republic is ready to defend its region."

The situation in the nation has been stable for 13
days, but the Georgian president's actions may disrupt
the balance, Abashidze said. "One's ambitions should
not be above the interests of the state," he said.

The local opposition - supporters of Saakashvili -
have been banned from holding pre-election rallies in
Batumi, Abashidze said.

"We have warned them and will take the corresponding
measures. If they try, it will end badly," he said.
------------------------------------------------------
6)
http://en.rian.ru/rian/index.cfm?prd_id=160&msg_id=4052675&startrow=51&date=2004\
-03-15&do_alert=0


Russian Information Agency (Novosti)
March 15, 2004

CAN GEORGIA'S PRESIDENT RESORT TO FORCE TO SOLVE
ADZHARIA (ISSUE)?

-On Sunday evening, Georgia's President Saakashvili
issued an ultimatum to Adzharia's leader Aslan
Abashidze - in the course of 24 hours to give the
Georgian head of state freedom to travel through the
territory of the autonomy.
-"I warn Abashidze that if even a single hair falls
from the heads of members of the opposition on
Adzharia's territory, the government of Georgia will
respond to this in a very serious manner," said the
president of Georgia.




TBILISI, March 15, 2004. (RIA Novosti) - An emergency
session of the government of Georgia to discuss the
situation in Adzharia (one of Georgia's three
autonomous regions, which unlike the two others -
Abkhazia and South Ossetia - remains loyal to the
central authorities in Tbilisi) will be held on Monday
in the Black Sea town of Poti (western Georgia),
reported News-Georgia agency.

Georgia's Interior Minister Georgy Baramidze, in an
interview with journalists in Poti on Sunday, said
that the reason for calling the session was an
incident on the bridge across the Choloki river
(Adzharia's administrative frontier), where Georgia's
President Mikhail Saakashvili and his party were not
let into the autonomy on Sunday.

According to the agency, at the government session
Saakashvili intends to raise the question of closing
the airspace over Adzharia, shutting the check point
Sarpi on the border with Turkey, sealing off the sea
port of Batumi, and clamping a ban on the import of
large-sized commodities into Adzharia.

"These measures are aimed at stopping the financing of
the regime established in Adzharia," he said.

On Sunday evening, Georgia's President Saakashvili
issued an ultimatum to Adzharia's leader Aslan
Abashidze - in the course of 24 hours to give the
Georgian head of state freedom to travel through the
territory of the autonomy.

"I give time to Abashidze until tomorrow evening for
him to allow the Georgian president to move across
Adzharia, and to start disarming illegal armed
formations on the autonomy's territory," Saakashvili
said from Poti, where he is staying.

"Aslan Abashidze must also give the possibility for
any person on the territory of Adzharia freely to
express their opinion and political views and ensure a
democratic election campaign on the autonomy's
territory and the holding of elections to Georgia's
parliament on March 28 of this year in an honest and
fair setting," the president noted.

The president of Georgia did not rule out that
measures would be taken to get frozen in Georgia and
abroad the banking accounts of individuals and legal
entities from among the members of Adzharia's
leadership.

"I warn Abashidze that if even a single hair falls
from the heads of members of the opposition on
Adzharia's territory, the government of Georgia will
respond to this in a very serious manner," said the
president of Georgia.
------------------------------------------------------
7)
http://www.interfax.com/com?item=Geor&pg=0&id=5703958&req=

Interfax (Russia)
March 15, 2004


Ajarian leader won't meet Saakashvili's ultimatum

-"One cannot give an ultimatum to one's own people in
one's own country, especially to a leader who is not
appointed or dismissed by the president," Abashidze
told the Russian press in Batumi on Monday.



Batumi. (Interfax-AVN) - Aslan Abashidze, leader of
Georgia's autonomous republic of Ajaria, said he will
not meet the ultimatum issued by Georgian President
Mikhail Saakashvili on Sunday.

"One cannot give an ultimatum to one's own people in
one's own country, especially to a leader who is not
appointed or dismissed by the president," Abashidze
told the Russian press in Batumi on Monday.

"The president represents the nation. He bears a
greater responsibility and must show an example," he
said. "The head of a family cannot wander about the
house with arms in his hands and hustle his children
and family members," Abashidze said.

Yet he said he was "ready to discuss any problems with
the incumbent president of Georgia in compliance with
the law and the constitution."

Asked whether he was ready to let Saakashvili into
Ajaria, Abashidze said, "let him come alone, or bring
another two or three people with him, but not many,
because the armed forces are behind him."

"I will act and make decisions in conformity with the
constitution of Georgia and the Ajarian autonomous
republic," Abashidze said. He thinks the amendments to
the Georgian constitution the parliament is adopting
are illegitimate.

Saakashvili addressed the nation on Sunday evening. He
said he had spoken to Abashidze by telephone and
demanded the immediate disarmament of illegal armed
units in Ajaria.
------------------------------------------------------
8)
http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=544267&PageNum=0

Itar-Tass (Russia)
March 15, 2004


Georgian ultimatum to Adzharia expires 22:30 Moscow
time


-In order to prevent “financial support for unlawful
actions by the Abashidze regime” Saakashvili plans to
ask the Georgian government to close Batumi’s airport,
Adzharia’s airspace, the port of Batumi and the Sarpi
border post, ban transit traffic of heavy trucks and
freeze the bank accounts of legal entities registered
by the Adzharian authorities.
-“A deal may be concluded” with the Georgian
president, but he may soon issue orders to attack,
Abashidze told reporters on the way from Moscow to
Batumi.




TBILISI(Itar-Tass) -- Georgian President Mikhail
Saakashvili’s ultimatum to the leader of the Adzharian
autonomy Aslan Abashidze is expiring tonight, at 22:30
Moscow time.

The relations between Tbilisi and Batumi aggravated on
Sunday morning, when Saakashvili, on his way from Poti
to Adzharia, was not allowed to enter the territory by
the local authorities and illegal armed groups.

Saakashvili protested the measure and urged the
Adzharian authorities to “regain common sense and
refrain from unconstitutional action.”

“We shall not permit violations of the country’s
laws,” Saakashvili said.

On Sunday evening the Georgian president said Adzharia
had 24 hours to comply with the central authorities’
demands.

He urged Abashidze to give the Georgian president the
freedom of travel about Adzharia, the opportunity to
meet with local residents, to stop persecution for
political reasons and ensure a democratic election of
the Georgian parliament on March 28.

Saakashvili also demanded disarming the illegal armed
group totalling some 1,500 members and allowing the
Georgian authorities to control the port of Batumi and
the Sarpi checkpoint on the Georgian-Turkish border.

The Georgian government will meet in session in Poti
on Monday morning to discuss the situation in
Adzharia, Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania has told
reporters.

Originally the Cabinet’s meeting was scheduled for
Sunday evening.

In order to prevent “financial support for unlawful
actions by the Abashidze regime” Saakashvili plans to
ask the Georgian government to close Batumi’s airport,
Adzharia’s airspace, the port of Batumi and the Sarpi
border post, ban transit traffic of heavy trucks and
freeze the bank accounts of legal entities registered
by the Adzharian authorities.

The Adzharian leader Aslan Abashidze returned to
Batumi from Moscow last night. For security reasons
his planes followed a narrow neutral corridor and made
a turn towards Batumi when it was a mere 20 kilometers
away from the Turkish border. Abashidze argues there
had been warnings from Tbilisi his plane may be shot
down.

The Adzharian leader expressed the readiness for
negotiations with the Georgian president, although he
has little confidence the talks would be productive.

“A deal may be concluded” with the Georgian president,
but he may soon issue orders to attack, Abashidze told
reporters on the way from Moscow to Batumi.

Abashidze expressed regret he had been out of Adzharia
the moment the conflict began.

“I was not a witness to the beginning of the events,”
he said. “I visited Moscow not for meetings with
senior officials, but in order to make my opinion
known to the world public through numerous Russian and
foreign reporters.”

Asked about the resources he had at his disposal to
counter the forces massed up along the administrative
border on orders from the Georgian president,
Abashidze said:

“The local population, the security forces and the
police.”

As for the possibility Russian troops stationed at a
base in Adzharia might get involved in the standoff,
Abashidze said:

“In principle, I count on support, but they receive
orders not from me. The 12th base is part of the
Russian Armed Forces.”

A major military group has been created 30 kilometers
away from the river of Choloki, the administrative
border of Georgia’s Adzharian autonomy, Adzharian
television reporter Nono Kvirikadze has said in a live
newscast from the border.

There have been eyewitness accounts the group includes
armored vehicles and naval vessels (the Choliki river
runs near the Black Sea coast).

The leader of Georgia’s Adzharian autonomy has made a
decision to impose a night-time curfew, the Adzharian
Interior Minister Dzhemali Gogitidze told reporters.

He avoided specifying when the measure was taking
effect, but advised the population to stay at home
from dusk to dawn.

A state of emergency has been in effect in Adzharia
since November 24 2003. It was suspended on January 3
on the eve of the Georgian presidential election, only
to be imposed again on January 7. No curfew has been
in effect so far, though.

The Georgian authorities have been saying that the
introduction of a state of emergency in any part of
the country is the exclusive competence of the central
leadership and that the Adzharian authorities’
decision was unlawful and unconstitutional.
------------------------------------------------------
9)
http://www.civil.ge/eng/detail.php?id=6436


Civil Georgia
March 15, 2004


Breakaway Abkhazia Concerned over Adjara Tensions


Abkhaz de facto President Vladislav Ardzinba raised
concern over recent developments in Georgia’s
Autonomous Republic of Adjara.

“Our people have passed through all these horrors of
war. Therefore, we cannot remain indifferent towards
the tension in neighboring Georgia,” Russian news
agency RIA Novosti reports quoting the President of
unrecognized Abkhaz Republic.

Ardzinba called on the Georgian authorities “to do
outmost to settle relations with Adjara, since
aggravation of the situation might lead to civil war.”

“During past years the Adjarian leadership proved that
it is capable to ensure stability in the Autonomous
Republic,” Ardzinba added.

He expressed hope that the problem might be settled
through a constructive dialogue. “The Georgian
authorities have enough political will to avoid
confrontation, which will threaten the regional
stability,” leader of the Georgia’s secessionist
region said.


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