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Caucasus
Powell trip to Georgia could mark start of civil war
2004-01-23
Secretary of State Colin Powell plans to attend the inauguration of Georgia’s new president Mikhail Saakashvilli this weekend, offering Saakashvilli a symbolic stamp of U.S. approval. In addition to the planned festivities of singers, acrobats, dancing bears and a military parade, Powell may be stepping into the beginning of a civil war set off by the new president himself. Sources close to the president of a small Georgian republic, the Autonomous Republic of Adjara, say the Adjarans have uncovered a secret plot by Saakashvilli to seize the republic and its port capitol of Batumi in the aftermath of Sunday’s inaugural celebration. Adjarans believe that as soon as Powell leaves Georgia the new president intends to strike against them.
Plots! Nefarious plots! Secret, nefarious plots!
The Adjarans not to be confused with the inhabitants of a similarly-named plant on Star Trek Enterprise, 400,000 citizens with no army but many guns, this week encouraged their police, customs and border guards, about 5,000 in all, to repel what they fear will be an invasion. Georgia has an army of some 30,000 troops, lots of equipment, and U.S. military trainers and equipment, including some advanced attack helicopters. Adjara, as an autonomous republic, has its own constitution and laws but does not print money or engage in foreign policy.
No postage stamps and no aid from the UN, either. What kind of "republic" is this?
Aslan Abashidze is the elected president of Adjara and from a family well-known for 600 years in Georgia. Abashidze is disliked by the Georgian government but very much liked by the Adjarans whom he has governed in a strict but democratic fashion. Abashidze is a Christian, as is much of Adjara, but he is famous for his kind treatment of the republic’s tight-knit group of about 500 Jewish families. Abashidze ousted Russian troops from the old synagogue in the capital city of Batumi — they had been using the temple as a "sports club" — rebuilt it and gave it back to the Jews.

Here is the plan our sources in Adjara believe is the likely scenario for the secret, nefarious plot seizure of their republic: [...] the Adjarans now say [the inaguration] will be in Kutaisi in the Republic of Georgia, a small city in the Caucasian mountains. At the ceremony will be a military parade, the first ever held in Georgia at an inauguration. Why Kutaisi instead of the capital, Tbilisi or at the monastery? Adjaran sources say because it is so much closer to Adjara and the troops won’t have far to march. Adjaran president Abashidze has told friends and supporters that the plot calls for the Georgian soldiers to go to Poti, a port city on the Black Sea near the border with Adjara. They will join the Georgian garrison there, cross the border by force of arms, and attack the capitol of Adjara, Batumi, with some 2,000 regulars and seize control of Adjara.  
This is the plot? Even an Iraqi general could do better than this.
Russia’s intelligence service is highly competent and the Russian government, presumably aware of this plot, has been making public noises of "impotent concern" over "tension in Georgia." The Russians are resentful of U.S.-sponsored NATO pressure to push them out of every country except their own. Turkey is interested too, since they guarantee the constitution of Adjara by the 1921 treaty of Kars.
Tragical, comedic farce lives on in Georgia!
Posted by:Steve White

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