Adjaria orders mobilization as tensions rise

Aslan Abashidze, the head of Adjaria, has ordered the mobilization of all those in the autonomy subject to military service and the creation of Security Councils in the cities of Batumi, Kobuleti, Khelvachursky, Kedsk, Shaukhevsky and Khuloisk to be led by their administrations and the mayor of Batumi. All will be under Adjaria's prime minister.

The steps were described by the government of Adjaria as responses to the growing acuteness of the situation in and around the autonomy. The Security Councils are to be responsible for maintaining public order and for 'controlling' illegal armed formations and preventing incursions by Georgian troops.

Meanwhile, Georgia's Security Ministry says it has information that Abashidze has held talks with the leadership of Abkhazia about obtaining arms and about the possible use of Abkhazian troops in Adjaria. And the former mayor of Batumi, Aslan Smirba, a longtime supporter of Abashidze, criticized the latter at a press conference in Tbilisi, calling his methods unacceptable.