18:15, 20 February 2004

Georgia will fire on ships violating Abkhazia's sea border

Georgia intends to open fire on foreign ships in case they violate the sea border in the direction of Abkhazia, Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili said on Friday.

"I want to warn the ships of foreign countries. If they continue entering the Georgian territorial waters in the Abkhazian direction without central Georgian authorities' approval, we will be ready to open fire," he said at an award ceremony for officers of the country's coastguard service. "We are not going to start a war, but we shall not allow Abkhazia to become an exporter of arms and drugs," added the Georgian leader.

He asked the Russian side for help in preventing new facts of violations of Georgia's sea border.

Mikhail Saakashvili rewarded 17 officers of the coastguard service with orders and monetary premiums for taking part in the operations to detain several foreign ships which violated Georgia's sea border in the direction of Abkhazia recently. The award ceremony took place in the building of the Georgian State Chancellery.

Editors note: See also the article "Abkhazian Defense Ministry denounces detention of Russian fishing boat by Georgian military".

Source: RIA Novosti