Revival party: shelling apartment may entail negative consequences

The Revival party stated that the shelling of the apartment of David Dzaparidze, head of its Tbilisi organization might entail negative consequences.

The press center of the Georgian Ministry of Interior reported to RIA Novosti that nobody was injured as a result of the attack. 4 cases were discovered at the site. A criminal case was opened and an investigation was commenced.

Members of the Revival party indicated that the crime committed against the background of consultations which were commenced on Saturday in Batumi between Aslan Abashidze, leader of the party and head of the Adzharian Autonomy and Zurab Zhvania, state minister, might have negative political consequences.

Dzaparidze stated to journalists that "if anybody tries to frighten us, they will achieve nothing through such means." Adzharian leader Aslan Abashidze did not meet the Georgian state minister in the airport. In the opinion of Georgian political scientists, that might evidence lack of success at the negotiations.

Prior to the meeting with the Adzharian leader Zhvania stated to journalists that he would "do his utmost to alleviate tension in relations between Batumi and Tbilisi." Earlier negotiations with the Adzharian leader were held by acting Georgian president Nino Burdzhanadze, US Ambassador to Georgia Richard Miles and Lynn Pascoe, US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State. Previous visits to Batumi brought no practical results. The center and the autonomy failed to agree to hold early presidential elections on January 4, 2004 in the territory of Adzharia. Aslan Abashidze stated his boycott of elections unless they were postponed to a later date.

Tbilisi is of the opinion that problems of many years between the center and the region can not be resolved that quickly. In the wake of her meeting with Abashidze, Burdzhanadze stated that "the most significant aspect is the commencement of a dialogue. Disputes of many years can't be resolved that quickly. The important thing is that both parties wish to settle the problems." Georgian Presidential candidate Mikhail Saakashvili appeals to the Adzharian leader not to prevent opening of election polls on January 4. At his last press conference in Tbilisi Saakashvili stated that "if Abashidze frustrates elections in Adzharia, he will find himself outside the framework of the Georgian constitutional field and will be severely punished for that."