Alarming quietness in Kodorsky Gorge

This spring is astonishingly quiet in the area of Georgian-Abkhazian conflict. People said, everyday shooting was usual for this place. However, the people are anxious because of this quietness. Like morning fog, the uneasy quietness drooped over the Kodorsky Gorge. CIS peacekeepers and soldiers of the UN military mission started patrolling the Tkvarchelsky district, that is controlled by the Abkhazian part.

Abkhazia and Georgia withdrew their regular troops, but teams special from each part still patrol the Gorge: they search the area for enemy’s weapon emplacements and mark them on the map. At that both sides are perfectly aware of each other’s presence in the area, but try to avoid any violence. The people are looking forward for a command that may come any moment. As soon as it comes, the people whose life is made up of war only will plunge into the bloody vortex again.

In addition, Georgian parliament deputy Ivery Chelidze says, eight Russian helicopters landed troops in the Georgia-controlled village of Azhara near the Kodorsky Gorge on Friday. He announced it at a parliamentary plenary session with a reference to a spokesman of the Gorge administration. The information produced an extremely negative response of the parliament. Deputies broke off the session for consultations with the president and defense minister.

According to available information, the Georgian Defense Ministry held an additional draft. The draftees are being trained now for operations in mountains. The Abkhazian party is doing the same. Everybody is awaiting for a definite moment to come.

Dmitry Litvinovich PRAVDA.Ru

Translated by Maria Gousseva

Read the original in Russian: http://www.pravda.ru/main/2002/04/12/39623.html