Attack On T.H.Y. Office In Tbilisi

AMBASSADOR: ''PROBLEM WAS SOLVED WITH RAPID INTERVENTION OF POLICE''

BAKU - Turkish Ambassador to Georgia Dicle Kopuz said on Thursday that attack on Turkish Airlines (THY) office in Tbilisi did not have political dimension.
''It was a common event. The problem was solved with rapid intervention of the Georgian police,'' Kopuz said.
Speaking to the A.A correspondent, Kopuz said that details of the attack on THY office were not clear yet but the attack might have been staged by more than one person.
Meanwhile, airline spokesman Timur Liparteliani said that a person who heard a rumor that a THY plane on which a relative was flying had crashed, stormed into the office and attacked the manager.
Lipertaliani said no hostages were seized and that no weapons were involved in the attack.
Sources said that the person was detained by Georgian police.
Initial reports of the event said that the office was seized by gunmen and that they may have taken several people inside office hostage.
(MS-UK) 24.06.2004