Georgia rebels say shot 2 more Georgian spy drones
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By Christian Lowe
SUKHUMI, Georgia, May 12 (Reuters) - Georgia's breakaway region of Abkhazia shot down another two Georgian spy drones on Monday, taking the total to five this month, its defence ministry said.
But Tbilisi again denied it had flown any spy drone missions over Abkhazia and dismissed the allegations as rubbish designed to heighten tensions in the disputed region.
Abkhazia lies on the Black Sea coast and is at the centre of a row between Russia, which backs the rebels, and Georgia.
"Today at 1416 over the territory of Abkhazia ... at a height of about 6,000 metres Abkhazian aircraft defence forces shot down the latest Georgian unmanned spy aircraft," said Garry Kupalba, the separatists' deputy defence minister.
Under the terms of a 1994 United Nations ceasefire, Russian soldiers patrol between the Georgian and Abkhazian security forces.
Moscow has accused Tbilisi of preparing for a war to retake Abkhazia, where most of its residents have been issued with Russian passports, and has ordered more soldiers to the region.
Georgia says Moscow is trying to stir tension in the region by supporting the rebels and whipping up anti-Tbilisi sentiment.
"There were no flights of Georgian drones over Abkhazia today. It's another lie," Shota Utiashvili, head of the Georgian Interior Ministry's analytical department, told Reuters.
The foreign ministers of five EU countries -- Poland, Slovenia, Lithuania, Latvia and Sweden -- also visited Georgia on Monday. They met Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili as well as Foreign Minister Ekaterine Tkeshelashvili.
"The European Union reiterates its firm commitment to the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Georgia within its internationally recognised borders," Dmitrij Rupel, Slovenian Foreign Minister, told a news conference.
Georgia is at the centre of a tussle for influence between Russia and its Western allies, who both want to exert control over the Caucasus -- which hosts a pipeline pumping oil to Europe from Asia.
Saakashvili surged to power in a peaceful 2003 revolution and has since steered the former Soviet state towards the West. Moscow has been angered by its plans to join the EU and NATO. (Reporting by Christian Lowe And Margarita Antidze, writing by Guy Faulconbridge and James Kilner in Moscow)
By Christian Lowe
SUKHUMI, Georgia, May 12 (Reuters) - Georgia's breakaway region of Abkhazia shot down another two Georgian spy drones on Monday, taking the total to five this month, its defence ministry said.
But Tbilisi again denied it had flown any spy drone missions over Abkhazia and dismissed the allegations as rubbish designed to heighten tensions in the disputed region.
Abkhazia lies on the Black Sea coast and is at the centre of a row between Russia, which backs the rebels, and Georgia.
"Today at 1416 over the territory of Abkhazia ... at a height of about 6,000 metres Abkhazian aircraft defence forces shot down the latest Georgian unmanned spy aircraft," said Garry Kupalba, the separatists' deputy defence minister.
Under the terms of a 1994 United Nations ceasefire, Russian soldiers patrol between the Georgian and Abkhazian security forces.
Moscow has accused Tbilisi of preparing for a war to retake Abkhazia, where most of its residents have been issued with Russian passports, and has ordered more soldiers to the region.
Georgia says Moscow is trying to stir tension in the region by supporting the rebels and whipping up anti-Tbilisi sentiment.
"There were no flights of Georgian drones over Abkhazia today. It's another lie," Shota Utiashvili, head of the Georgian Interior Ministry's analytical department, told Reuters.
The foreign ministers of five EU countries -- Poland, Slovenia, Lithuania, Latvia and Sweden -- also visited Georgia on Monday. They met Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili as well as Foreign Minister Ekaterine Tkeshelashvili.
"The European Union reiterates its firm commitment to the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Georgia within its internationally recognised borders," Dmitrij Rupel, Slovenian Foreign Minister, told a news conference.
Georgia is at the centre of a tussle for influence between Russia and its Western allies, who both want to exert control over the Caucasus -- which hosts a pipeline pumping oil to Europe from Asia.
Saakashvili surged to power in a peaceful 2003 revolution and has since steered the former Soviet state towards the West. Moscow has been angered by its plans to join the EU and NATO. (Reporting by Christian Lowe And Margarita Antidze, writing by Guy Faulconbridge and James Kilner in Moscow)
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