Abkhazia is strengthening defenses on its border with Georgia to protect the territory from what it calls provocations from Tbilisi.

“This evening, the Georgian side opened gunfire on positions of Abkhaz and Russian soldiers near the bridge over the Inguri river. Such provocations are aimed at disrupting the Medvedev-Sarkozy agreement,” Abkhazian leader Sergei Bagapsh told Interfax on Sunday.

He added that Abhazia will not hesitate to respond to what he called Georgian provocations.

“The latest developments indicate that Tbilisi has launched a large-scale terror campaign in Abkhazia. The killings of Abkhaz citizens in recent days, both law enforcement officials and civilians, were committed by terrorists who had crossed into Abkhazia from Georgia,” Bagapsh said after an emergency meeting of the Abkhaz Security Council.

The Georgian side, however, denies all the accusations.

“Such statements are intended to destabilise the situation and again introduce extra (Russian) troops in the parts of Georgia, from where they had been pulled back. There has not been a single case of shooting from our side,” said Georgian Interior Ministry spokesman Shota Utiashvili.

On Saturday a Georgian district governor was killed by what the Georgian Foreign Minister called a terrorist attack.

Abkhazian authorities deny that Abkhazia was responsible for it.

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