TBILISI. Aug 7 (Interfax-AVN) - Georgia will stage a military exercise in its eastern regions in the vicinity of the Pankisi Gorge over the next few weeks, the Defense Ministry's press service told Interfax on Wednesday.
These previously scheduled maneuvers have nothing to do with the aggravation of situation on the Georgia-Russia border and Chechen militants' attempts to break through it in both directions, the statement reads.
A source in the Georgian state administration told Interfax that law enforcement agencies are working on plans to stabilize the situation in the Pankisi Gorge.
On Monday, Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze told journalists that the situation will change drastically within four to six weeks. Experts in Tbilisi suggested that Georgia might launch a military operation in the Pankisi Gorge.