TBILISI. April 12 (Interfax-AVN) - Speaker of the Georgian parliament Nino Burdzhanadze said on Friday that Russian paratroopers were deployed in the Kodori Gorge on Friday morning.
"At the moment, Russian paratroopers are surrounded by armed local residents in the village of Zemo Azhara, however, no clashes have occurred yet," Burdzhanadze said.
In a message to Georgian Defense Minister David Tevzadze, the leadership of Russian peacekeepers confirmed that six helicopters carrying paratroopers landed near the village of Azhara, she said. The troops are to prevent fresh skirmishes and protect the population, she said quoting the message.
This explanation is cynical and Tbilisi "will demand the immediate withdrawal of Russian troops from the Kodori Gorge," she said.
Burdzhanadze said that she would contact international organizations and her counterparts in other countries. "The international community should react appropriately to the Russian troops' actions in Abkhazia," she said.
Chairman of the parliamentary defense and national security committee Georgy Baramidze said that it was not peacekeeping forces, but about 100 fully armed paratroopers who were deployed in the gorge.
"Even if a minor incident occurs in the Kodori Gorge, the Georgian armed forces will retaliate appropriately against Russian troops," he said.