The Armenian President’s national security aide Garnik Isagulyan said on October 8 that the Georgian authorities should show restraint while dealing with the Samtskhe-Javakheti region in southern Georgia, which is predominately populated by ethnic Armenians, Regnum news agency reported.

“Georgian authorities should be extremely cautious and attentive in their actions, because any minor provocation can turn into a large scale clash,” Garnik Isagulyan said at a news conference.

The aide to the Armenian President commented on the recent clash, which occurred on October 5, when hundreds of local residents in Akhalkalaki, a town in Samtskhe-Javakheti, rallied to protest against the closure of trade facilities in the town by the Financial Police. Tensions flared up after police fired several shots into the air to disperse the rally.

President Saakashvili said while commenting on the Akhalkalaki incident, that “there is no serious problem and law-enforcers are maintaining order in the region.”

“We are establishing control in this region [Samtskhe-Javakheti], which was out of full control over previous years. Any attempts to trigger disorders will be unsuccessful,” Saakashvili told reporters on October 6.