Georgia warns Russia against meddling in Abkhaz crisis

Georgia told Russia on Saturday to keep out of its internal affairs, after Moscow vowed to defend its interests in Georgia’s separatist Abkhazia region where protests over a disputed election have turned violent. Tensions between Georgia and former colonial master Russia are already high, with Tbilisi accusing Moscow of double standards in supporting Abkhazian separatists while cracking down on rebels in Chechnya. The latest crisis began after an Oct. 3 presidential poll, when the electoral commission declared Sergei Bagapsh the winner but his Moscow-backed rival Raul Khadzhimba complained of voting irregularities and insisted on a re-run. After thousands of Bagapsh’s supporters stormed government buildings on Friday, Russia’s Foreign Ministry said it would have to take necessary measures to defend its interests if such "illegal" actions continued. Georgia condemned the statement from Russia, which has given three quarters of Abkhazians passports. The sliver of territory on the Black Sea coast broke away from Georgia in a 1992-3 war and is not recognised internationally.