Ajara

He also promised to reintegrate Georgia's then three Russian-backed separatist regions -- South Ossetia in the north and Abkhazia and Ajara in the West.

Fighting Raises the Stakes 2008

Mr. Pascual and other U.S. officials say Mr. Saakashvili's Ajara move may have emboldened him to take further risks.

U.S. Ally Proves Volatile 2008

Buoyed by the euphoria of the rose revolution, Mr. Saakashvili forced a showdown early in 2004 with Aslan Abashidze, the Moscow-backed ruler of Ajara, a breakaway province in southwestern Georgia.

U.S. Ally Proves Volatile 2008

One reason he overplayed his hand is that he got lucky the last time he had to deal with a breakaway region: Ajara, a tiny little strip of Black Sea coast in southern Georgia.

Archive 2008-08-01 West End Bob 2008

Buoyed by the euphoria of the Rose revolution, he quickly squared off with the leader of Ajara, Aslan Abashidze.

Fighting Raises the Stakes 2008

Moscow actually behaved cooperatively in this instance and withdrew Russian forces from Ajara.

Russia Blog 2009

Saakashvili's success in Ajara, though, only served to whet his appetite for retaking Abkhazia and South Ossetia as well.

Russia Blog 2009

Although it did not formally assert independence, an ally of Moscow also ruled over Ajara with the support of Russian forces stationed there.

Russia Blog 2009

"The downfall of this regime will begin from Ajara," he declared on the pro-opposition TV channel Kavkasia on February 28.

EurasiaNet 2009

Previously wary of public protests, he also announced that his movement would start demonstrations in the Black Sea region of Ajara on March 10 and, possibly, participate in the April 9 opposition rallies.

EurasiaNet 2009