SUKHUMI, January 23 (RIA Novosti) - Abkhazia opened fire on two Georgian naval vessels that entered the unrecognized republic's territorial waters, the spokesman for Abkhazia's president said Wednesday, but Georgia denied the incident.

Kristian Bzhania said the ships were detected 4 miles from the Gagida settlement in the Gali District. "In line with orders received, Abkhazia's coastal services opened fire on the vessels after which the Georgian ships left Abkhazia's territorial waters," he said.

Georgia's Navy mainly consists of patrol vessels and landing craft.

Georgia's border police denied the incident. "The information from Abkhazia that Georgian naval vessels were near the unrecognized Abkhazian coast is untrue," spokeswoman Lela Mchedlidze said.

Abkhazia declared independence from Georgia following a bloody conflict that left hundreds dead in 1991-1992, and the CIS peacekeeping forces entered the conflict area in June 1994 under a ceasefire agreement signed in Moscow on May 14, 1994.

More than 100 Russian peacekeepers have been killed in the conflict zone since the ceasefire entered force.

There have been frequent and mutual accusations of ceasefire violations from both Abkhazia and Georgia. Peace talks broke off when Tbilisi sent troops into Kodori Gorge in July last year and established an alternative Abkhaz administration there.