Georgia seeks to destabilize situation in Abkhazia's Gali district - Ankvab
SUKHUMI. July 19 (Interfax) - Abkhazia is taking adequate steps in response to Georgia's provocative and destructive actions in the borderline Gali district, Abkhaz President Alexander Ankvab told a press conference in Sukhumi on Thursday.
"The situation in this district was difficult before as well, but whenever the situation begins to stabilize, our neighbors on the other side of the Inguri River try to do all they can to make things there bad again," he said.
"Nothing happens there accidentally. All armed incidents are thoroughly planned by Georgian security services," he said.
"The Abkhaz authorities are already taking adequate retaliatory measures," the republic's leader said. "Soft preventive measures have been in place in the Gali district for several days now and are being useful," he said. "Lately we deployed a special-purpose center permanently in this district, and its staff numbers will increase," he said.
"It is a combat-capable force that will be ready to respond to many challenges from that side," the president added.
"We will increase the presence of police and security forces in this district," he said.
The Abkhaz Security Council has opened a headquarters for responding to armed incidents and maintaining security in the area. "The headquarters will be led by the local head of the State Security Service and will include senior security officials stationed in the Gali district," Ankvab said.
