Georgia has reportedly put its armed forces on alert after President Mikhail Saakashvili was barred from entering the troubled region of Ajaria. Georgian TV showed footage of troops loyal to Ajarian leader Aslan Abashidze blocking Mr Saakashvili\'s convoy at a checkpoint on a road into the region. Meanwhile Russia warned Georgia not to send its troops into the region. Mr Abashidze opposed the events of December 2003 which led to the ousting of former leader Eduard Shevardnadze. Mr Saakashvili is with security chiefs in the nearby town of Poti. Security Council chief Vano Merabishvili told the TV Mr Saakashvili\'s convoy was met with warning shots as it approached the checkpoint near the town of Cholokhi. The president decided to turn round, leaving other senior officials to negotiate with the local authorities. Late on Sunday President Saakashvili spoke by telephone with Mr Abashidze, who is in Moscow. A source close to Mr Abashidze told the Itar-Tass news agency the Ajarian leader had \"expressed his dissatisfaction with Tbilisi\'s actions\" but said he still adhered to \"peaceful and constructive dialogue\". The president asked when he could enter Ajaria. Mr Abashidze said he would have to return to Batumi first, the source said. The Interfax news agency said Mr Abashidze had claimed that Mr Saakashvili threatened to have his plane shot down. \"I promised to personally tell him the time and the number of the flight. Let him try,\" Interfax quoted Mr Abashidze as saying. (BBC)