SAAKASHVILI DOES NOT VIEW SKIRMISH BETWEEN GEORGIANS AND ARMENIANS IN TSALKA
AS ETHNIC CONFLICT

12.05.2004 12:59

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili is not
inclined to consider the skirmish between Georgians and Armenian in
the Tsalka region as an ethnic conflict. “It’s not an interethnic
conflict. It was just a fight between Georgians and Armenians. We
will not allow any violations of public order and will not
yield to provocation”, the Georgian President told journalists
yesterday. He noted that “after the Ajarian developments Georgia’s
enemies retreated”. “Our neighbors admire the peaceful settlement of
the situation in Ajaria. I heard it from the Armenian and Ukrainian
Presidents during the telephone conversations with them”, Saaklashvili
said. In his words, “some of Georgia’s enemies want to involve her
in a new conflict”. “We will not tolerate any blackmail and are ready
to give a proper response to everyone”, Saakashvili stated. To remind,
Armenians and Georgians started a fight after the football match with
the participation of the local youth in the area center of Tsalka
(Eastern Georgia) on May 10. As result two people were injured. A
unit of the Georgian MHA troops was deployed in the region.