Georgia’s army has not been given any orders to use force against the opposition, the country’s defence minister said in a televised address on Sunday.
”There is no order from the commander in chief to use force,” David Tevzadze said.
”The president warned me that under no circumstances should measures be taken that could lead to bloodshed,” he said.
”Political nonsense has to be resolved by political means and not through force,” he said.
Tevzadze did not say where his loyalties lie.
”The army doesn’t consider it necessary yet to use military force to establish order, but, just the opposite, believes it necessary to establish such a regime that would ensure the citizens’ safety until the situation is settled,” he told reporters.
Tevzadze spoke a day after opposition protesters stormed the Georgian Parliament, forcing embattled President Eduard Shevardnadze to flee in mid-sentence.
Shortly thereafter Shevardnadze called a state of emergency and an opposition leader laid claim on the presidency, sending the former Soviet republic to the brink of chaos.
The unrest was sparked by a November 2 parliamentary election that official results said was won by pro-government parties.
The opposition, along with foreign governments, said the vote was rigged and has demanded Shevardnadze’s resignation and fresh elections.
Russia’s foreign minister arrived on Sunday at the residence of Shevardnadze for talks on the political crisis in the country. — Sapa-AFP