Georgian President Says the Pankisi Gorge Under Control

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, September 03, 2002

Georgian President Says the Pankisi Gorge Under Control

Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze said Monday that the authorities now fully controlled the Pankisi Gorge, an area bordering Russia's region of Chechnya and a main shelter for Chechen rebels.

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Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze said Monday that the authorities now fully controlled the Pankisi Gorge, an area bordering Russia's region of Chechnya and a main shelter for Chechen rebels.

Georgian troops rolled into the troubled Pankisi Gorge on August 25 in order to cleanse the area of criminals and Chechen rebels.

"At present the situation in Pankisi Gorge is under full control," Shevardnadze said in his weekly national radio address.

Georgia has been under pressure from Russia to clean up the gorge, which Moscow says serves as a base and supply line for rebels from Chechnya. The United States, which has sent instructors to train a Georgian anti-terrorist force, has said that fighters linked the al-Qaida terror network are also in the gorge.

Spokesman for Georgian State Security Ministry Nika Laliashvilidid not rule out the possibility of armed clashes between Georgiantroops and guerrillas.

"Any armed resistance will be suppressed," he was quoted by theInterfax news agency as saying Monday.

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