Voters in a breakaway Georgian region cast ballots Sunday in a referendum that separatist leaders hope will reaffirm their independence bid, but that Georgia has warned will only raise tensions.
Police and security agents were out in force in Tskhinvali, the regional center of the small mountainous region of South Ossetia. Kalashnikov-wielding men in camouflage uniforms were on every corner as ethnic music blared through loudspeakers. Most of Tskhinvali's streets were empty.
"Of course I voted for independence _ independence and freedom. I want what every normal person wants," said Zoya Chugmazova, a 64-year-old school teacher.
Voters were asked whether they support independence from Georgia and wish to seek international recognition for the tiny region which broke away from the central government in a war 14 years ago.
The referendum is expected to receive overwhelming approval because ethnic Ossetians make up the majority of the province's population. However, a similar 1992 referendum proclaiming the province's independence went unnoticed by the international community, leaving it in limbo.
The United States and Europe support Georgia's pro-Western aspirations and back its territorial integrity. They have chosen to ignore the vote.
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