Chicago Tribune from Chicago, Illinois • Page 44

12 Section I Chicago Tribune. Thursday. October 21. 1993 HaUcnlVcrid Shevardnadze loyalists repulse Georgian rebels Interfax news agency reported that government troops retook Poti, Georgia's main Black Sea port Interior Ministry spokesman Valerian Gogolashvili couldn't confirm Poti's recapture, but did report government advances In the area. The rebels' seizure of Potl cut off vital food links to Tbilisi, where city officials on Wednesday said strict food rationing would begin within three weeks.

Gogolashvili said troops had reclaimed the railroad town of Lan-chkuti, west of Kutaisi, and Khoni, to the northwest Georgian security official Vladimir Chikovani said 50 rebels and 10 government troops were killed in fighting Wednesday. Shevardnadze had appealed Tuesday for military help from Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan and other members of the Commonwealth of Independent States. Russia's Defense Ministry said it deployed troops "to ensure the -Aj Associated Press KUTAISI. Georgia-Rebels trying to overthrow Georgian leader Eduard Shevardnadze were driven back Wednesday as they tried to advance on a strategic city, and also lost ground near a key Black Sea port Russia, meanwhile, said it was deploying troops at Shevardnadze's request to guard highways and railroads that lead from Georgia's coast to Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijaa Moscow said it won't get involved in fighting. Armenia and Azerbaijan reportedly agreed to help keep the transportation links open.

The rebel offensive, led by ousted nationalist President Zviad Gamsakhurdia, had advanced in recent days to within seven miles of Kutaisi, threatening to cut Georgia in half. Losing Kutaisi, Georgia's second-largest city, would be a major blow to Shevardnadze, the former Soviet foreign minister who is fighting to hold his Caucasus Mountain nation together. Last month, government troops lost the northwest province of Abkhazia to a separate insurgency. The government rushed hundreds of reinforcements Wednesday to Kutaisi, a city of about 250,000 people located 125 miles-west of Tbilisi, the capital. normal functioning of transport routes and the protection of Rus sian military facilities.

An official in the Russian Embassy said about 2,000 Russian troops were involved. He said Wednesday night that rail traffic had resumed between Kutaisi and the port of Batumi Store Hours: Monday through Saturday -5 Thursday -7 tOOjjir. 1 I ta r-i ti i i i i 1 1 1 1 ri in a II I JJ Inspired Timing The "Historique" watch by Vacheron Constantin, designed in the 1940s. Men's strap watch crafted in eighteen karat gold with mechanical movement, 9,990. Store umiwm it Tiffany Co.

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