Vyacheslav Eshba, defense minister of the unrecognized Republic of Abkhazia, has written to the head of the UN Observer Mission in Georgia, Major General Kazi Ashfaq Ahmed, accusing the Georgian leadership of planning to violate the protocol signed by the two sides two years ago by deploying additional troops to the Kodori Gorge, Apsnipress reported on 14 May.

Eshba alleged that the Georgian leadership plans to destabilize the situation in the Abkhaz conflict zone by simulating an uprising in Abkhazia's southernmost Gali Raion and then sending troops to occupy that district.

He claimed weapons and portraits of Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili are being transported to Gali in preparation for the planned uprising.

Interfax on 13 May similarly quoted Abkhaz Security Service head Givi Agrba as saying that Georgia plans to send troops to Kodori and to destabilize Gali, possibly on the eve of the 26 May celebrations to mark the anniversary of the declaration in 1918 of an independent Georgian republic.

Kodori Governor Emzar Kvitsiani denied on 14 May that any further Georgian troops will be sent to Kodori, Caucasus Press reported.

Also on 13 May, Abkhaz Prime Minister Raul Khadjimba left for his second visit to Moscow in 10 days, Caucasus Press reported.

(RFE/RL 14.v.04)