The Georgian government thought fit to take matters relating to breakaway province Abkhazia, whose pro-Russian officials continue to defy central Georgian authorities, into their own hands.

Thus, a military convoy made up of 30 Georgian Kamaz-type trucks, 18 Niva cars and two armored vehicles have set out for Kodori gorge in Abkhazia today. The information was announced by the province's chief of staff of armed forces Anatoly Zaitsev in an interview with Interfax news agency. He added that his Abkhaz troops were alerted to the potential Georgian military incursion into the province.

The news was confirmed by a Georgian government source, who liked to keep his anonymity, in an interview with Reuters today, asserting that "some Georgian units" are approaching the Kodori gorge, where the former representative of the Georgian President to Kodori, Emzar Kvitsiani is stationed with his paramilitary troops called the Monadire(Hunter). "They are ready to conduct an operation if it's necessary", the government source added, referring to the Georgian units.

The Abkhaz Foreign Ministry was quick to respond to the Georgian troop incursion, issuing an official statement today in which it condemns the movement as being a violation of the 1994 Moscow agreement of ceasefire and separation of forces: "The Georgian side has violated the Moscow agreement and sent a large number of military hardware and armed forces into the security zone. A military convoy led by the Defense Minister [Irakli Okruashvili] and Interior Minister [Vano Merabishvili] are heading towards Kodori gorge", part of the statement read, as announced by RIA Novosti and Interfax agencies.

On the other hand, local Georgian media outlets announced today that the Georgian Defense Minister and Interior Minister are currently in the unrecognized separatist republic of Abkhazia, in order to hold a meeting with the council of elders that has authority over the gorge, since that part of the land is the only one in the province that was placed outside the control of the secessionist authorities.

Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili stated yesterday that his office would not hold any talks with the Kodori warlord, yet promised he would reduce the group's activity against the country's "unity and statehood".