(15 Nov 2014) Tens of thousands of people rallied in central Tbilisi on Saturday to protest against a planned agreement between Russia and Georgia's separatist province of Abhazia.
Protesters denounced the deal between Russia and Abhazia - which has been running its own affairs since a separatist war in the 1990s - as a step towards Moscow's annexation of the Black Sea region.
The proposed agreement envisages the creation of joint Russian and Abkhazian military forces.
Demonstrators carried placards and banner saying "Stop Russia!" and "Stop Putin!"
Many protesters held aloft Georgian flags. Others waved the Ukrainian, EU and US flags.
"We have to raise our voice by saying that today, together with Ukraine, Russia is annexing Abkhazia and South Ossetia. And our international partners, the whole world has to defend international law here in Georgia, not only in Ukraine," said Georgian MP David Bakradze.
The rally was organised by former Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili's United National Movement, which has been in opposition since losing the 2012 parliamentary election.
Saakashvili addressed the crowd via video link from from the Ukrainian capital, Kiev.
Russia and Georgia fought a five-day war in 2008, when Russia helped the separatist region of South Ossetia to cede from Tbilisi.
Georgia's breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia are currently under full Russian control.
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