http://news3.xinhuanet.com,
MOSCOW: The Russian authorities Wednesday warned Georgia to take care not to harm Russians by firing on ships “illegally” entering the waters of its breakaway region Abkhazia.
The Russian foreign ministry said in a statement “Russia is warning Tbilisi that all attempts to inflict harm on Russia citizens, or, worse still, to encroach on their lives, will be duly rebuffed.”
The statement came a day after Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili reaffirmed on Tuesday that Georgia would “open fire atand sink all ships that appear near the coast of Abkhazia,” cautioning Russian tourists not take boat trips to Novy Afon and Sukhumi, two Abkhazian cities.
Saakashvili said: “If you want to come to Sukhumi by sea, you must be well aware that our warships a few days ago opened fire ata ship that had violated our sea border.”
The Georgian coastguard last Friday opened fire on a Turkish ship that entered the Black Sea waters of Abkhazia, according to the Interfax news agency.
The Russian statement accused Saakashvili's threat of being “anunprecedented step.” “It looks like this is happening because theyare building a political line based on plans to use force — or threaten to use force — including against citizens of unarmed ships.”
Abkhazia, a Black Sea province known for its beach resorts, wonde facto independence from Georgia after a 1992-1993 war.
Saakashvili, who took office in January this year, has vowed toreunify the country by bringing three breakaway regions — Adzharia, South Ossetia and Abkhazia, back under control.
Adzharia was taken under the control of the Georgian governmentafter its leader was forced to resign and flee to Moscow in May.
