Saakashvili Warns He Will Use Force

Saakashvili wants to bring Adzharia and two other breakaway regions -- South Ossetia and Abkhazia -- under central control. He said he backed a peaceful solution, but added: "We will not allow anyone to threaten and blackmail Georgia's authorities and people." Adzharia's parliamentary speaker, Georgy Tsintsikladze, said Saturday in announcing the state of emergency that the region, which includes the major oil-shipping port of Batumi, made the decision because it has information that Georgia is preparing armed forces for an invasion. Adzharia declared a nighttime curfew last month when tension with the Georgian government came close to confrontation after it refused to let Saakashvili into the area. After the standoff, Saakashvili and Adzharian leader Aslan Abashidze appeared to settle differences in talks, with Abashidze agreeing to give up some powers. But that deal has since broken down. On Thursday, Saakashvili denounced Abashidze as a "major problem" linked to criminal elements. A day later, he expressed frustration at Abashidze's accusations that Georgia intended to invade his region. Adzharia, Saakashvili said, was Georgian territory.