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Georgia leader to face opponents Georgian leader meets opponents
(about 11 hours later)
Georgian president Mikhail Saakashvili is to hold talks with opposition leaders after weeks of protests calling for his resignation. The Georgian President, Mikhail Saakashvili, is holding talks with opposition leaders after weeks of protests calling for his resignation.
The meeting will be the first direct talks between Mr Saakashvili and his political opponents since the protest campaign began on 9 April. The meeting represents the first direct talks between Mr Saakashvili and his political opponents since they launched a campaign to oust him on 9 April.
Critics accuse him of bungling the conflict with Russia last August and restricting democratic rights.Critics accuse him of bungling the conflict with Russia last August and restricting democratic rights.
A mutiny at a military base last Tuesday raised fears of further unrest.A mutiny at a military base last Tuesday raised fears of further unrest.
Correspondents say opposition parties are divided over what they hope to achieve, some pushing for reform and others saying only Mr Saakashvili's resignation will satisfy their demands. Correspondents say opposition parties are divided over what they hope to achieve, with some pushing for reform and others saying only Mr Saakashvili's resignation will satisfy their demands.
President 'ready'President 'ready'
A statement by the presidency said Mr Saakashvili was ready to meet with "any political forces" to resolve the stalemate. A statement issued on Sunday said Mr Saakashvili was ready to meet with "any political forces" to resolve the stalemate.
The coalition of opposition parties has led a campaign of mostly peaceful protests in Tbilisi, although a violent clash between police and protesters a week ago left dozens injured. Mr Saakashvili, who insists he will not step down before his term ends in 2013, was due to meet four members of the coalition - Irakli Alasania, Levan Gachechiladze, Salome Zurabishvili and Kakha Shartava.
A protest outside parliament on Sunday attracted about 3,000 people In the end [Mr Saakashvili] saw reality... and realised that silence and ignorance is no longer possible Salome ZurabishviliGeorgian opposition leader
Mr Saakashvili, who insists he will not step down before the end of his term in 2013, is due to meet four members of the coalition - Irakli Alasania, Levan Gachechiladze, Salome Zurabishvili and Kakha Shartava.
Parliamentary Speaker Nino Burdzhanadze, a former ally of the president and now among his fiercest opponents, declined to attend the talks.Parliamentary Speaker Nino Burdzhanadze, a former ally of the president and now among his fiercest opponents, declined to attend the talks.
"I am not expecting any results from this meeting," she told Georgian television, adding that the president should resign."I am not expecting any results from this meeting," she told Georgian television, adding that the president should resign.
But Ms Zurabishvili hailed the forthcoming talks as a success for the opposition. Ms Zurabishvili hailed the forthcoming talks as a success for the opposition.
"In the end he (Mr Saakashvili) saw reality... and realised that silence and ignorance is no longer possible," she told a rally outside parliament. "In the end [Mr Saakashvili] saw reality... and realised that silence and ignorance is no longer possible," she said. "This is a sign for us that we have been on the right track during the last 30 days."
"This is a sign for us that we have been on the right track during the last 30 days." More than 10,000 people attended a protest outside the parliament building in Tbilisi on Saturday, again calling for Mr Saakashvili's resignation. A smaller crowd of around 3,000 gathered on Sunday.
More than 10,000 people attended a protest outside parliament on Saturday, again calling for Mr Saakashvili's resignation. The demonstrations have so far been mostly peaceful, although on Wednesday they turned violent when a number of protesters clashed with police outside a police station. Several people were injured.
Nato exercises
On Tuesday, Mr Saakashvili said his government had put down a brief mutiny at the Mukhrovani tank base outside the capital.
Several serving and former military officials were at the same time arrested on suspicion of plotting a coup. The rebellion appeared to be "co-ordinated with Russia", the interior ministry said, an allegation that Moscow has vigorously denied.
[The Nato military exercises] cannot be seen as anything other than support for the ruling regime Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin
The unrest occurred the day before the start of three weeks of Nato military exercises centred around an air base outside Tbilisi.
The command and field exercises, involving more than 1,000 soldiers from 18 countries, are taking place close to areas where Russian troops are stationed in Georgia's breakaway region of South Ossetia.
Russia has described the drills as "an overt provocation", but Nato says they were planned before last summer's conflict, which saw Georgia's attempts to regain control of South Ossetia and its other breakaway region of Abkhazia repelled by Russian forces.
On Sunday, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said the exercises were a sign of the military alliance's support for Mr Saakashvili.
"Against this background they decided to carry out the war games," Putin said in an interview with Japanese media.
"Of course, this cannot be seen as anything other than support for the ruling regime. And why support such a regime?"
Mr Putin said the manoeuvres represented a "step backwards" in US and Russian efforts to "reset" their relations.