Tuesday, May 6, 2008, Rabi-ul-Sani 29, 1429    

Georgia calls for UN probe of Abkhazia air defences

Tbilisi— Georgia on Monday called for the United Nations to probe the use of anti-aircraft weapons in its rebel region of Abkhazia, which on Sunday claimed to have downed two Georgian spy drones. Georgia, which has accused Russia of providing weapons to Abkhaz separatists, denied the planes were shot down.

But its foreign ministry urged the United Nations “to immediately institute an investigation regarding the presence and utilisation of ‘air defence systems’ by the Abkhaz separatists in the security zone and to inform the international community about the results.”

A ministry statement described reports that the planes were shot down as “misinformation” and “another provocation... aimed at facilitating Russia’s military intervention by providing information and propaganda support.” Abkhazia, a Moscow-backed province that broke away from Georgian control during a war in the early 1990s, claimed on Sunday to have downed two unmanned Georgian reconnaissance plane, two weeks after a similar incident hiked tensions in the region. Georgia has alleged that a Russian MiG-29 had downed a Georgian spy plane on April 20 in an incident Tbilisi described as “an act of aggression.”

Relations between Russia and the former Soviet republic of Georgia have deteriorated since Moscow announced it was strengthening cooperation with Abkhazia and fellow breakaway Georgian region South Ossetia.

Russia’s announcement Tuesday that it was boosting its contingent of soldiers in Abkhazia brought expressions of concern from the United Nations, the United States and the European Union.The row comes amid wider tensions over Georgia’s desire to integrate with the West and particularly to join the NATO, a move deeply opposed by Moscow.—AFP