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'Shots fired' near Georgia leader | 'Shots fired' near Georgia leader |
(40 minutes later) | |
Shots have been fired near a motorcade carrying the Georgian and Polish presidents, Georgian officials say. | Shots have been fired near a motorcade carrying the Georgian and Polish presidents, Georgian officials say. |
No injuries were reported in the incident, close to a checkpoint near Georgia's rebel South Ossetia region. | No injuries were reported in the incident, close to a checkpoint near Georgia's rebel South Ossetia region. |
Georgian officials said the shots came from inside South Ossetia. But Russia and South Ossetia denied the claim. | |
President Mikhail Saakashvili and his Polish counterpart Lech Kaczynski were visiting an area where Georgian and Russian forces clashed in August. | President Mikhail Saakashvili and his Polish counterpart Lech Kaczynski were visiting an area where Georgian and Russian forces clashed in August. |
Since the August conflict there have been a string of incidents along the border, with each side accusing the other of violating a ceasefire agreement. | Since the August conflict there have been a string of incidents along the border, with each side accusing the other of violating a ceasefire agreement. |
Georgia has been marking the fifth anniversary of the Rose Revolution that swept Mr Saakashvili to power. | Georgia has been marking the fifth anniversary of the Rose Revolution that swept Mr Saakashvili to power. |
'Shelling' denied | |
A witness travelling with Mr Saakashvili told Reuters news agency that uniformed South Ossetians fired warning shots after the convoy came within 30m of the de facto border. | |
Mr Saakashvili said the incident should serve as a "reminder" to European politicians that Russia was "brazenly violating" an EU-brokered ceasefire accord between Tbilisi and Moscow. | |
The South Ossetian side has nothing to do with it. There was no shelling from our side Irina Gagloyeva South Ossetian spokeswoman class="" href="/1/hi/world/europe/7744751.stm">Rose Revolution remembered | |
"Twenty-first Century occupiers, who have no legal, moral or other right to be there and oppress people, are stationed in the heart of Georgia," he said during a joint press conference with Mr Kaczynski. | |
But Russian peacekeepers in South Ossetia denied firing on the convoy. | |
"The claims that Russian servicemen were implicated in the shelling of the cortege do not correspond with reality," a Russian spokesman was quoted as saying by Interfax news agency. | |
"A shelling of the cortege by our servicemen is completely out of the question." | |
Russian state media also reported South Ossetian denials that shells had been fired at the convoy. | |
"The South Ossetian side has nothing to do with it," said South Ossetian spokeswoman Irina Gagloyeva told RIA Novosti. "There was no shelling from our side." | "The South Ossetian side has nothing to do with it," said South Ossetian spokeswoman Irina Gagloyeva told RIA Novosti. "There was no shelling from our side." |
Muted celebrations | |
Mr Saakashvili had earlier called for Georgians to unite against a "dangerous threat" from Russia as they did in the bloodless revolution of November 2003. | Mr Saakashvili had earlier called for Georgians to unite against a "dangerous threat" from Russia as they did in the bloodless revolution of November 2003. |
Anniversary celebrations this year have been muted after the August conflict with Russia. | Anniversary celebrations this year have been muted after the August conflict with Russia. |
The only planned event is a concert at Tbilisi's ornate opera house, and opposition groups have held rallies calling for Mr Saakashvili's resignation. | The only planned event is a concert at Tbilisi's ornate opera house, and opposition groups have held rallies calling for Mr Saakashvili's resignation. |
One of Mr Saakashvili's former allies, Nino Burjanadze, has used the anniversary to launch a new opposition party, accusing the president of authoritarianism. | One of Mr Saakashvili's former allies, Nino Burjanadze, has used the anniversary to launch a new opposition party, accusing the president of authoritarianism. |
On 7 August, Georgia tried to retake South Ossetia by force after a series of lower-level clashes with Russian-backed rebels. | On 7 August, Georgia tried to retake South Ossetia by force after a series of lower-level clashes with Russian-backed rebels. |
Russia launched a counter-attack and the Georgian troops were ejected from both South Ossetia and Abkhazia, a second breakaway region, days later. | Russia launched a counter-attack and the Georgian troops were ejected from both South Ossetia and Abkhazia, a second breakaway region, days later. |