Georgia declares emergency after street battles

By Margarita Antidze and Niko Mchedlishvili

TBILISI (Reuters) - Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili on Wednesday declared a 15-day countrywide state of emergency after sending in riot police to battle protestors and special forces stormed a leading opposition TV station.

Saakashvili, facing his worst political crisis since coming to power in 2003, blamed Russia for stirring up civil strife after riot police clashed with protestors in Tbilisi calling for his resignation.

Prime Minister Zurab Nogaideli said authorities had prevented a coup. Economic Development Minister Georgy Arveladze said that all independent television news programs would be stopped during the 15-day state of emergency.

Riot police used tear gas and water cannon on unarmed demonstrators. Special forces troops wielding automatic weapons stormed the country's main opposition television channel, Imedi, which was then taken off air.

Georgia expelled three Russian diplomats and recalled its ambassador from Moscow. Saakashvili claimed he had evidence that Russian intelligence was behind the disorder.

Relations between Georgia, a former Soviet republic, and Russia were already at all-time lows. Saakashvili's desire to join NATO and his drive to regain sovereignty over two breakaway pro-Russian provinces have angered Moscow, which last year cut all transport links.

"We cannot let our country become the stage for dirty geo-political escapades by other countries," Saakashvili told the nation in a television broadcast. "Our democracy needs the firm hand of the authorities."

Saakashvili, who came to power in 2003 on the back of protests that drove Eduard Shevardnadze from office, has forged close ties with Washington and says he wants to take his small Caucasus nation into NATO and the European Union.

The Kremlin called Saakashvili's accusations "anti-Russian hysterics" and Moscow said it would make "an adequate response," signaling possible tit-for-tat expulsions.

PASSIONS INFLAMED

Saakashvili flaunts his democratic credentials but critics say that is a facade that masks an authoritarian streak.

The opposition said he has grabbed too much power and should step down after calling early elections. But Saakashvili responded with a show of force.

The Imedi television channel is controlled by billionaire tycoon Badri Patarkatsishvili. Special forces forced journalists and employees onto the ground at gunpoint, Reuters witnesses said, shouting at employees and smashing their mobile phones.

Ambulances were stopped from entering the compound.

"Heavily armed special police forces stormed the building and ordered everyone down on the floor," said Gia Maisashvili, an opposition leader who was inside the station when it was stormed.