DATE=04/12/02

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=GEORGIA: TENSIONS (S)

NUMBER=2-288644

BYLINE=BILL GASPERINI

DATELINE=MOSCOW

VOICED AT:

INTRO: Tensions have risen sharply between Russia and the former Soviet republic of Georgia after Russian troops landed in a gorge in western Georgia. Georgia has demanded that Moscow withdraw the soldiers, who say they are part of a peacekeeping mission.

TEXT: Russian helicopters ferried the heavily armed troops into the Kodori Gorge in what the Russians say is part of an agreement signed with Georgian officials recently.

But Georgian officials say that only unarmed soldiers were supposed to be deployed as peacekeepers, and Georgian military officers say they may attack the Russian force if the soldiers are not withdrawn.

Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze flew into the gorge himself soon after hearing word of the Russian deployment.

He says he may ask that Russian peacekeepers be pulled out of the region, known as Abkhazia.

The peacekeepers have patrolled in a tense stand-off between Georgian troops and Abkazian rebels since a brief but bloody war ended almost nine years ago.

The Abkhaz rebels expelled the Georgians from the region, which is located on the Black Sea.

Relations between Russia and Georgia have been tense ever since the collapse of the Soviet Union a decade ago. (Signed)

NEB/BG/SAB