19:09, 15 March 2004

Georgian president presents ultimatum to Adjarian leader

Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili made a statement late in the evening on March 14 in which he gave Aslan Abashidze 24 hours for unconditional fulfillment of the requirement that the Adjarian leader should secure freedom of movement for the head of the Georgian state on the territory of the autonomy.

"Aslan Abashidze must also let anybody in Adjaria freely express his/her opinion and political views and must guarantee the democratic course of the election campaign on the territory of the autonomy and the holding of the elections for the Georgian parliament in honest and fair conditions," noted the president of the country.

"Abashidze must let the central Georgian authorities take the frontier between Georgia and Turkey, transport communications and the port in Batumi under their control," said Mikhail Saakashvili.

Editors note: See also the article "Georgian president not allowed into Adjaria".

Source: Novosti-Gruzia Information Agency