(11 Apr 2009)
1. Wide shot Georgian Parliament building in early morning, street in front blocked with cars
2. Mid shot group of opposition supporters warming themselves by fire
3. Close up banner (Georgian/English): "People for Saakashvili's resignation"
4. Mid shot policemen walking in front of the Parliament
5. SOUNDBITE: (Georgian) Kakha Tsaava, Georgian opposition activist:
"We are determined to fight till the end, until the President takes the only right decision: to step down and leave Georgia."
6. Barriers and security at the Parliament
7. Mid street in front of the Parliament, protesters, flags, banners - early morning
8. Mid opposition supporters warming themselves by fire
9. Close up flag
10. Mid shot groups of opposition supporters gathered round fires
STORYLINE:
Georgian opposition supporters were preparing on Saturday morning for a third day of protests in the capital Tbilisi, calling for President Mikhail Saakashvili to step down.
Groups of opposition supporters huddled round fires in the early morning, having spent all night in front of the Parliament building.
About 20,000 demonstrators had gathered on Friday, some pelting his residence with cabbages and carrots on a second day of protests.
President Mikhail Saakashvili rejected their demands and called for talks.
The crowds were thinner than on Thursday, a national holiday, when three times as many demonstrators jammed the capital's main avenue, but the daily protests showed no sign of ending.
Their most bitter criticism is directed at the president's handling of the brief war last summer with Russia.
The Georgian army was humiliated and the country lost territory as separatists and their Russian allies took full control of two breakaway Georgian regions.
Saakashvili, whose five-year term runs until 2013, told foreign reporters that he would not resign.
Saakashvili repeated his call for dialogue with the opposition.
At first he was again rebuffed, but opposition leaders later told the crowds that they would agree to talks as long as they were televised live. Some in the crowd jeered.
Even so, that appeared to be a breakthrough. The presidential administration said it had no immediate comment.
The protesters, meanwhile, stepped up their pressure, announcing what they called a campaign of civil disobedience to block roads throughout the city.
The opposition and the government have promised to keep the demonstrations peaceful, but as tensions rise there are fears of civil unrest. Friday's protests ended peacefully.
Police have not intervened and said the protesters were free to hold demonstrations daily.
Protesters also accuse Saakashvili of betraying his promises of democratic reform and embarrassing his country with his erratic behaviour.
He also is criticised for not doing enough to fight poverty and unemployment.
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