MOSCOW, Feb. 10 (UPI) -- Supporters of Georgia's "Vine -- Together with Russia" party rallied Sunday in the capital, Tbilisi, demanding President Eduard Shevardnadze step down, Russia's Interfax news agency reported.
The pro-Russian party, headed by Georgia's celebrated filmmaker Georgy Shengelaya, blamed the tiny Caucasian country's current problems on Shevardnadze's allegedly poor leadership.
"President Shevardnadze is also responsible for the deterioration of ties with Russia by choosing the policy of double standards on the Chechen issue," Shengelaya told the rally.
"Everyone in Georgia knows there are Chechen rebels, headed by commander Ruslan Gelayev, in the Gorge of Pankiss. Only President Shevardnadze claims that there are no Chechen rebels there," he added.
Moscow has repeatedly urged Tbilisi to step up investigation into the alleged presence of Chechen rebels in the gorge, close to the Georgia's border with Russia.
Shevardnadze denies their presence, maintaining that these were refugees fleeing the war in Russia's separatist province.
Shengelaya also accused Shevardnadze of bringing about Georgia's deep economic crisis, arguing that Georgia can only come out of this crisis with Russia's help.
"But the president opposes close ties with Russia," he said.
Shengelaya's party, founded last year, demands immediate measures for ending Georgia's economic woes and wants the government to reestablish sovereignty over the defecting regions as well.
Following the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991, the provinces of Abkhazia and South Ossetia separated from Georgia.
The party says that the realization of these goals is possible only through political and economic rapprochement with Russia.
Tbilisi has charged Moscow with aiding Abkhaz separatists.
Meanwhile, Georgia's Security Minister Valery Khaburdzhaniya told reporters Sunday that security forces had arrested a group of Saudi and Jordanian nationals for their alleged links with Arab warlord Khattab whose units are operating in Chechnya.
Khaburdzhaniya said the group was attempting to raise an armed unit in the Gorge of Pankiss and wanted to enter Chechnya to join the fight against Russia.
