Georgia -- which insists the pro-Moscow region is an integral part of its territory -- has said foreign ships cannot visit Abkhazia without a permit and last month infuriated the rebel leadership by seizing a Turkish vessel.

"I have given the order to our naval forces to destroy Georgian ships violating the sea border of Abkhazia," Abkhaz leader Sergei Bagapsh told the Interfax news agency in an interview.

"This step has been caused by the constant acts of piracy from the Georgian side," he added.

Bagapsh angrily compared the actions of the Georgian naval forces with those of Somali pirates who seize ships off the Horn of Africa.

"Unfortunately, we can talk about Georgian pirates in the same way as we can talk about Somalian pirates. And such actions must be followed by an adequate response," he added.

The tensions surrounding Georgia's bid to enforce a naval blockade of Abkhazia have risen since its forces seized a Turkish ship carrying fuel from Turkey to the Abkhaz capital Sukhumi on August 20.

The captain of the cargo ship Buket, Mehmet Coskun Ozturk, was found guilty by a Georgian court of "smuggling and violation of Georgia's law on occupied territories" and sentenced to 24 years in prison.

Georgia has detained four cargo ships en route to or from Abkhazia this year, including two within days of each other in August, according to its coastguard.

Russia recognised Abkhazia and fellow Georgian rebel region South Ossetia as independent in the wake of its August 2008 war with Georgia, a move that has only been followed by distant Nicaragua.

Analysts have said Russia's declaration was not entirely in the interests of Abkhazia as it led to a dip in the once robust trade and aid from Turkey.

Georgian Coastguard chief Besik Shengelia told AFP that the Abkhaz leader's threats would not deter Georgia from seizing ships in its waters.

"Bagapsh's statement is nothing but empty threats, I do not think this will be followed by action."

The European Union Monitoring Mission in Georgia (EUMM), the only international observers left in Georgia's conflict zones, urged restraint.

"The EUMM urges all sides concerned to refrain from words and actions that could cause an increase in tension and adeterioration of the situation," it said in a statement.

It is unclear how powerful the Abkhaz navy is but it is not believed to have major capacities.

Russian media reports have said it has a missile boat, several Grif patrol ships and civilian vessels equipped with artillery and unguided missiles.

But the head of the border guards of Abkhazia's security service said its naval forces were ready to carry out Bagapsh's order.

"Our fleet dominated the sea during the Georgia-Abkhazia war. Since then the capacities of the naval forces have risen considerably," said Zurab Margania, quoted by Interfax.

Bagapsh insisted that only Abkhaz forces would be involved in such an operation and not the military of its patron Russia.

Abkhaz separatists fought a bitter war with Tbilisi in the 1990s after the break-up of the Soviet Union which caused massive destruction but prompted the rebels to proclaim the region's independence.

Abkhazia, whose pristine beaches and lush mountains were one of the most highly prized holiday destinations in Soviet times, is now pinning its economic future on a renewed tourist boom.

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