TBILISI. July 24 (Interfax-AVN) - Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Nogaideli said that he excludes that the Kodori region, the only Abkhaz district controlled by Tbilisi, may disobey the Georgian authorities.
Earlier, it was reported that the Georgian president's former envoy in the Kodori Gorge Emzar Kvitsiani blamed the Georgian government for disregarding problems facing residents of the district and warned that the earlier disbanded self-defense units would be re-established in the region.
"We know that Georgian Defense Minister Irakly Okruashvili plans to storm the gorge on July 27. However any military force coming here will be met with an appropriate response," Kvitsiani said.
Commenting on Kvitsiani's statements, Nogaideli told journalists on Sunday that "disobedience in the region is impossible." "Kvitsiani cannot speak about disobedience, because he does not officially represent the region," the Georgian prime minister said, adding that "the situation will surely become less tense."
Meanwhile, "Kvitsiani should remember the results of Gen. Dumbadze's coup in Adjaria, who refused to submit to the authorities and stated his support of Aslan Abashidze, the former leader of Adjaria [the general was condemned and cashiered when the authorities changed in Adjaria]," David Kirkitadze, a member of the Georgian parliament told journalists.
Moreover, Georgian media organizations reported that Sunday will see a meeting of elders who are to come up with a special statement on Kvitsiani and his actions in Mestia (the Svanetia region).
In addition, a protest action of region's natives was held in Tbilisi. Participants of the meeting told journalists that only one person has spoken about disobedience and the person acts unanimously with no support from the population.