Map of Abkhazia showing the location of the Kodori Gorge

The 2006 Kodori crisis erupted in late July 2006 in Georgia’s Kodori Gorge, when a local militia leader declared his disobedience to the government of Georgia, which sent police forces to disarm the rebels. The upper part of Kodori Gorge is the only portion of Abkhazia, Georgia’s breakaway republic, not controlled by the Abkhaz de facto authorities. Map of Abkhazia Adapted from http://www. ... Map of Abkhazia Adapted from http://www. ... Early elections in November are announced in the Netherlands. ... The Kodori Gorge The Kodori Valley (also known as the Kodori Gorge) is a river valley in Abkhazia, Georgias breakaway autonomous republic which serves as the de facto boundary between the Georgian government and the secessionist-controlled territories. ... Official languages Abkhaz¹ ², Russian¹ Georgian² ¹ Used by the de-facto separatist government ² According to the Constitution of Georgia Political status De Facto: Independent De Jure (internationally recognized): Autonomous Republic within Georgia Capital Sukhumi Capitals coordinates President¹ Sergei Bagapsh Prime Minister¹ Alexander Ankvab ¹ De-facto separatist government in Sukhumi Chairman... De facto is a Latin expression that means in fact or in practice. It is commonly used as opposed to de jure (meaning by law) when referring to matters of law or governance or technique (such as standards), that are found in the common experience as created or developed without...

Background

The Kodori Gorge – with its forested landscapes and rocky hills – lies in the Greater Caucasus mountains, in the northeastern corner of Abkhazia. In spite of several Abkhaz attempts to gain hold of this strategic gorge inhabited by the Svans, a local subgroup of the Georgian people, the upper part of the gorge has never been under the secessionists' control since the Abkhazian war of 1992-1994. It has remained under precarious control of the central Georgian government, but the government of the area has effectively been run, until the recent crisis, by a local authority and warlord Emzar Kvitsiani, who previously led the defense of the gorge against the Abkhaz separatist forces in the capacity of the commander of the local Monadire (literally, a Hunter) militia force and an envoy of the former President of Georgia Eduard Shevardnadze. After the ouster of Shevardnadze in the bloodless Rose Revolution in 2003, the new Georgian government disbanded the Monadire force and abolished Kvitsiani’s post. There have also been strong suspicions about Kvitsiani's involvement in smuggling and other criminal activities and providing shelter to several criminal authorities wanted by Georgian police. Greater Caucasus (Russian: , sometimes translated as Caucasus Major, Big Caucasus or Large Caucasus) is the major mountain range of Caucasus mountains. ... Svans — the inhabitants of Svaneti region — are ethnic Georgians (one of the local culture-groups of ethnically subdivided Georgian people), and are the indigenous population of this province. ... The Georgians (ქართველი ერი (Kartveli Eri) or ქართველები (Kartvelebi) in the Georgian language) are a nation or an ethnic group, originating in the Caucasus. ... The neutrality of this article is disputed. ... 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday. ... 1994 (MCMXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by United Nations. ... The President of Georgia (ge: საქართველოს პრეზიდენტი) is the head of the state of Georgia. ... Eduard Amvrosiyevich Shevardnadze (Georgian: ედუარდ შევარდნაძე, Russian: Эдуа́рд Амвро́сьевич Шевардна́&#1076... Mikhail Saakashvili and his supporters marched on the parliament carrying roses as a symbol of nonviolence Rose Revolution refers to a peaceful 2003 revolution in the country of Georgia that displaced president Eduard Shevardnadze. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

July 2006 crisis

Emzar Kvitsiani

The recent crisis started on July 22, 2006, when Kvitsiani rearmed his former militiamen and said that he defied Georgia’s central authorities and would resist any attempt by the authorities to disarm his militia groups.^[1] Attempts to negotiate a surrender went in vain and the militiamen declined an ultimatum sent by the Georgian Interior Minister Vano Merabishvili. The government of Georgia dispatched, on July 25, a strong detachment of police and security forces to disarm the defiant paramilitary leader. Information coming from the gorge had largely been scarce and unconfirmed as the officials initially refused to make any comment. Later on July 25, Kakha Lomaia, the Minister of Education and Science, confirmed that the planned police operation was underway with the aim to restore constitutional order in the Kodori area. According to a Georgian Rustavi 2 television, the rebels have allegedly been supplied with food and munitions by the Abkhaz military and the Russian peacekeeper forces stationed in Abkhazia. Rustavi 2 also reported that a helicopter of the Russian peacekeepers landed in the militia-controlled area to provide rebels with food, but has failed to fly back as the Georgian side threatens to down it. July 22 is the 203rd day (204th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 162 days remaining. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Vano Merabishvili (Georgian: ვანო მერაბიშვილი) (born 15 April 1968) Mr. ... July 25 is the 206th day (207th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 159 days remaining. ... July 25 is the 206th day (207th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 159 days remaining. ... Rustavi 2 (in Georgian: რუსთავი 2) is a popular private TV Company in Georgia (country). ...

According to official accounts, governmental forces controlled most of the gorge as of late July 26, forcing the surrender of a number of rebels. Others, including Kvitsiani, hid out in the surrounding forests; several wounded and injured were reported on both sides.^[2] The death of a civilian in a shootout between the rebels and police was also confirmed. On July 27, Georgia's Defense Minister, Irakli Okruashvili told in his televised interview that the main phase of the operation had been successfully completed as most of the rebels had been surrendered or captured. He said also that the revolt was a provocation planned in a "foreign country." July 26 is the 207th day (208th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 158 days remaining. ... July 27 is the 208th day (209th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 157 days remaining. ... Irakli Okhruashvili (1973 -) is a Georgian lawyer, politician, and Defence Minister of Georgia. ...

As of late July 28, all villages in the gorge are controlled by the government forces. A huge amount of weapons and munitions have also been discovered in the gorge. Kvitsiani, however, managed to escape -- according to Georgian claims, to Sukhumi, capital of Abkhazia. July 28 is the 209th day (210th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 156 days remaining. ... Sukhumi (სოხუმი in Georgian, Аҟəа in Abkhaz language) is the capital of Abkhazia, a de facto independent state that is internationally recognised, however, as being part of Georgia. ...

Reactions

The Kodori Valley

With the start of the Georgian police operation, the Russian and de facto Abkhaz authorities expressed their concerns about the presence of the Georgian forces in the immediate neighborhood of the conflict zone. The Abkhazian leadership assessed any infiltration of the Kodori Gorge by Georgia's armed units as a gross violation of the Agreement on the Ceasefire and Disengagement of Forces of May 14, 1994, and of the May protocol of 1998, according to which the Georgian side had assumed the obligation not to dispatch military in the gorge. Both Russian and Abkhaz officials warned on July 25 and July 26 that the use of force in Kodori might lead to a new conflict in the region. Sergei Bagapsh the president of de facto Abkhazian government made comments on the recent events in the Kodori gorge and said: "If Georgian soldiers cross the border of Abkhazia new conflict may be launched because Abkhazian soldiers will open a fire in that case."^[3] May 14 is the 134th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (135th in leap years). ... 1994 (MCMXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by United Nations. ... 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean. ... July 25 is the 206th day (207th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 159 days remaining. ... July 26 is the 207th day (208th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 158 days remaining. ... Sergei Bagapsh (Abkhaz: )born 1949) is the president of the unrecognized, though de facto independent Republic of Abkhazia. ...

The Georgian authorities deny the accusations, however, saying that the only force operating in the gorge are police and security services, that is not a violation of the previous ceasifire accords. They deny the allegations that the Georgian forces are planning to continue their way into the seccessionst-controlled territories, reiterating that Georgia plans to resolve the separatist conficts through peaceful means. On July 26, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, Secretary General of NATO, on his meeting with the Georgian premier Zurab Noghaideli also expressed his support to Georgia's stance to the problems in Abkhazia and its fellow breakaway republic of South Ossetia.^[4] Jaap de Hoop Scheffer (right) and Jan Peter Balkenende Jaap de Hoop Scheffer (left) and Colin Powell Jaap de Hoop Scheffer (legally Jakob Gijsbert de Hoop Scheffer) (born April 3, 1948) is a Dutch politician who is the 11th NATO Secretary General. ... The Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) is the chair of the North Atlantic Council, the supreme decision-making organisation of the defence alliance. ... Zurab Noghaideli (Georgian: ზურაბ ნოღაიდელი) (born October 22, 1964) is a Georgian politician and the current Prime Minister of the nation. ... Official language Ossetian Capital Tskhinvali President Eduard Djabeevich Kokoity Prime Minister Igor Viktorovich Sanakoyev Area  â€“ Total  â€“ % water  3,900 km²  n/a Population  â€“ Total  â€“ Density (2004)  70,000 (approx)  18/km² Independence  â€“ Declared  â€“ Recognition From Georgia  â€“ November 28, 1991  â€“ none Currency Russian ruble, Georgian lari Time zone UTC +3 Detailed...

See also

• 2004 Adjara crisis

References

1. ^ Online Magazine Civil Georgia
2. ^ Online Magazine Civil Georgia
3. ^ Rustavi 2 news
4. ^ ISRIA Agency.

Sources

• Moscow Unleashes a Mountain Chieftain against Georgia (Eurasia Daily Monitor)
• Georgia Regains Control over Battle in Kodori (Eurasia Daily Monitor)
• Moscow calls on Georgia to refrain from armed actions. (Itar-tass)
• Situation in Kodori gorge (Rustavi 2)
• Reports: Besieged Rebel Warlord Under Attack (civil.ge)
• Georgian army clashes with Kodori militia - Abkhazia (Interfax)
• Military Expert on Kodori Operation (civil.ge)