MOSCOW, April 1 (Xinhuanet) -- The prime minister of Georgia's breakaway region of Abkhazia escaped a second assassination attempt in a month on Friday when his convoy was fired on by unknown gunmen, Abkhazia's deputy Prime Minister Leonid Lakerbaya said.

    According to the Interfax news agency, Abkhazia's Prime Minister Alexander Ankvab and his convoy were leaving the capital city of Sukhumi when the attack occurred. A group of unidentified gunmen raked the cars with automatic weapons fire, wounding one of Ankvab's entourage.

    Guards returned fire and the convoy sped away. Ankvab himself and Lakerbaya were unhurt.

    On Feb. 28, Ankvab was fired on in almost the same location.

    Abkhazia's Interior Minister Otar Khetsi told ITAR-TASS that Friday's attack on Ankvab appeared to have been carried out by thesame group of people.

    Abkhazia's newly-elected President Sergei Bagapsh said Friday's assassination attempt was politically motivated. "Someone does notwant ... stability in Abkhazia. This is pure politics," Bagapsh was quoted as saying by the Interfax news agency.

    Abkhazia, an autonomous republic of Georgia, claimed independence in 1992, but no country has ever recognized it. Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili has vowed to bring Abkhaziaback into the national fold. Enditem