Tuesday, July 01, 2008

Bilateral Relations: Abkhazia closes border with Georgia

Georgia's breakaway Abkhazia region said on Monday it was sealing itself off from Georgian-controlled territory after a series of explosions that it blamed on Tbilisi.

An official in the Georgian government denied any involvement in the explosions -- the latest of which injured a Russian holidaymaker on Monday -- and said Abkhazia's allegations were "politically-motivated".

Abkhazia, a region on the Black Sea coast, has been the scene of mounting tensions between Tbilisi's Western-leaning government, which wants to restore its control, and the Moscow-backed separatists.

Russia's Interfax news agency quoted separatist leader Sergei Bagapsh as saying the attacks were "terrorism pure and simple" and were the work of Georgian special forces.

"From Tuesday, the border with Georgia will be shut, and any movement across the Inguri river will be halted," Interfax quoted him as saying. The river separates southern Abkhazia from Georgian-controlled territory.

Six people, including the Russian holiday-maker, were lightly wounded on Monday after two bombs went off at a minibus stop in the separatist capital Sukhumi.

Republished permission of FOCUS Information Agency
Sedo- Domain name Aftermarket: