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| Georgia opposition ends protests | Georgia opposition ends protests |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Opposition leaders in Georgia say they have called off their protest campaign against President Mikhail Saakashvili after he announced early elections. | Opposition leaders in Georgia say they have called off their protest campaign against President Mikhail Saakashvili after he announced early elections. |
| Parliament has voted to approve the 15-day state of emergency ordered by Mr Saakashvili after days of protests that were broken up by police on Wednesday. | Parliament has voted to approve the 15-day state of emergency ordered by Mr Saakashvili after days of protests that were broken up by police on Wednesday. |
| Authorities have said the state of emergency will be lifted soon but have not given a date. | Authorities have said the state of emergency will be lifted soon but have not given a date. |
| Early elections were one of the main demands of protesters. | Early elections were one of the main demands of protesters. |
| The vote to approve the state of emergency was passed by all 149 members of the 225-seat parliament who were present. Opposition lawmakers boycotted the vote. | The vote to approve the state of emergency was passed by all 149 members of the 225-seat parliament who were present. Opposition lawmakers boycotted the vote. |
| Saakashvili 'gamble' | Saakashvili 'gamble' |
| Mr Saakashvili announced the early elections after widespread shock in Georgia at the ferocity of the police crackdown on protesters in central Tbilisi on Wednesday. | Mr Saakashvili announced the early elections after widespread shock in Georgia at the ferocity of the police crackdown on protesters in central Tbilisi on Wednesday. |
| Police used tear gas, water cannons and rubber bullets to disperse several thousand protesters. | Police used tear gas, water cannons and rubber bullets to disperse several thousand protesters. |
| There were also strong expressions of concern from the president's allies in the West over the declaration of a state of emergency. | There were also strong expressions of concern from the president's allies in the West over the declaration of a state of emergency. |
| CRISIS TIMELINE 28 Sep: Thousands rally in Tbilisi against President Saakashvili after arrest of his former ally and ex-defence minister Irakli Okruashvili2 Nov: About 50,000 attend anti-Saakashvili rally outside parliament, calling for early elections and for Mr Saakashvili to quit7 Nov: Riot police use force to disperse protesters after six days of opposition rallies, Mr Saakashvili imposes state of emergency8 Nov: Mr Saakashvili calls early elections for January9 Nov: Parliament approves state of emergency decree href="/1/hi/business/7086748.stm">Press sees tensions easing Q&A: Political crisis Send us your comments | |
| Mr Saakashvili is taking a gamble by calling early elections but it is one he believes he can win, says the BBC's Matthew Collin in Tbilisi. | Mr Saakashvili is taking a gamble by calling early elections but it is one he believes he can win, says the BBC's Matthew Collin in Tbilisi. |
| In his announcement on Thursday, the president said he would hold a referendum, simultaneously with the presidential vote, on whether to bring those polls forward to the spring. | In his announcement on Thursday, the president said he would hold a referendum, simultaneously with the presidential vote, on whether to bring those polls forward to the spring. |
| No opposition figure has emerged who could seriously challenge him in the presidential elections, says our correspondent. | No opposition figure has emerged who could seriously challenge him in the presidential elections, says our correspondent. |
| Georgia's opposition accuses the president of corruption and authoritarianism. | Georgia's opposition accuses the president of corruption and authoritarianism. |
| They have welcomed the election call as a "victory of the people", and predicted the president would lose. | They have welcomed the election call as a "victory of the people", and predicted the president would lose. |
| Mr Saakashvili said on Wednesday that "Russian special services" were behind the unrest in Tbilisi and expelled three Russian diplomats. | Mr Saakashvili said on Wednesday that "Russian special services" were behind the unrest in Tbilisi and expelled three Russian diplomats. |
| Two opposition figures, Shalva Natelashvili and Tsotne Gamsakhurdia, have been accused of spying and plotting a coup in league with the expelled Russian diplomats. | Two opposition figures, Shalva Natelashvili and Tsotne Gamsakhurdia, have been accused of spying and plotting a coup in league with the expelled Russian diplomats. |
| Russia has rejected the claims and expelled three Georgian diplomats. | Russia has rejected the claims and expelled three Georgian diplomats. |
| Georgia's prosecutor general's office said it suspected billionaire Badri Patarkatsishvili of plotting a coup and wanted him for questioning. | Georgia's prosecutor general's office said it suspected billionaire Badri Patarkatsishvili of plotting a coup and wanted him for questioning. |
| Mr Patarkatsishvili finances opposition parties and is the owner of Imedi television, which was taken off the air on Wednesday following the police action against the protesters. | Mr Patarkatsishvili finances opposition parties and is the owner of Imedi television, which was taken off the air on Wednesday following the police action against the protesters. |