Clarification: Abkhazia admin border

Clarification regarding the statement made on 20:15, August 16, 2008 concerning the shift of the administrative border of the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia towards the Enguri river by the units of the Russian regular army and Abkhazian separatist regime.

On 14 August 2008 armed gangs of the Abkhazian separatist regime together with the units of the Russian regular army shifted the administrative border of the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia towards the Enguri River. This caused the villages of the Zugdidi region Ganmukhuri and Khurcha to fall under the occupation of the Russian army and armed gangs of the Abkhazian separatist regime. In those villages Abkhazian separatist government set up temporary administration.

According to the reliable information, the criminal situation has rapidly deteriorated in the Georgian villages bordering the Enguri River. There are cases of physical abuse and looting. Abkhazian armed gangs together with Russian soldiers are robbing local population and smuggling the stolen goods to the other side of the Enguri River.

Furthermore, the Russian Federation still continues bombing of Georgian territories using the incendiary weapon prohibited by the International Convention. Today, at approximately 7 p.m. local time, Russian military helicopters bombed timber lands in the vicinity of the town Surami causing the new seats of fire.

Due to the extremely difficult situation, caused by the direct and uncovered occupation of Georgia by the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia calls upon the friendly countries and international community to provide urgent assistance in extinguishing the seats of fire across Georgia and again, condemns in the strongest terms Russian aggression against the sovereign state of Georgia.

Tbilisi, 16 August 2008, 23:50