EXCHANGES OF FIRE WERE REPORTED IN THE BORDER ZONE OF GEORGIA'S SEPARATIST PROVINCE OF ABKHAZIA TUESDAY AS GEORGIAN SECURITY UNITS MOVED INTO THE AREA TO SUBDUE LOCAL GANGS, DPA REPORTED. RUSSIAN PEACEKEEPING FORCES SAID CLASHES WERE UNDERWAY A FEW KILOMETRES INTO THE KODORI GORGE, WHICH IS THE ONLY PART OF ABKHAZIA NOT CONTROLLED BY THE PROVINCIAL AUTHORITIES IN SUKHUMI. A COLUMN OF MILITARY VEHICLES CARRYING AN ESTIMATED 800 SECURITY FORCES AND THE GEORGIAN DEFENCE AND INTERIOR MINISTERS ENTERED THE GORGE TUESDAY MORNING, ACCORDING TO ABKHAZIAN AUTHORITIES. THEY ACCUSED THE GEORGIAN GOVERNMENT OF BREAKING A 1994 CEASEFIRE TREATY BY DEPLOYING TROOPS IN THE AREA. ABKHAZIAN MILITARY UNITS WERE ALERTED IN RESPONSE TO THE GEORGIAN ACTIVITY. IN TBILISI, GEORGIAN FOREIGN MINISTER GELA BEZHUASHVILI CONFIRMED THAT POLICE UNITS UNDER THE COMMAND OF INTERIOR MINISTER VANO MERABISHVILI MOVED INTO THE GORGE BUT DENIED A MILITARY OPERATION WAS UNDERWAY OR PLANNED. AT THE SAME TIME HE URGED THE GUNMEN IN KODORI GORGE TO SURRENDER ARMS IMMEDIATELY.
