U.S. Diplomat Comments on Kodori Attack

Allegations that Georgia shelled itself in upper Kodori Gorge are ?ridiculous,? U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Mathew Bryza said in Tbilisi on July 27.

The Russian Foreign Ministry issued a statement on July 17, in which it pointed the finger at Tbilisi, saying that the March 11 attack on upper Kodori Gorge ?favored, first and foremost, the Georgian side.?

?I understand that there have been some statements from other countries saying that Georgia must have attacked itself. It is ridiculous,? Bryza said. ?It reminds me of the period when tragedy happened in Sarajevo when one side said that Bosnians attacked and killed themselves. It is not believable; it is not credible.?
 
He said a report by the UN Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG), outlining the findings of the investigation into the attack was ?strong.?

The report, issued on July 12, only suggested, but did not explicitly claim, that Russian army helicopters could have been involved in the attack.

?It makes some things clear, that is very important; one: Georgia was attacked; and two: it appears that helicopters probably were used in the attack,? Bryza said.

Georgia has already demanded that the investigation of the incident be reopened to cover all unanswered questions.

The U.S. diplomat, echoing this demand, said it was ?time to resolve this issue once and for all and make sure there are never any more attacks on Georgian territory.?

Bryza also said that in the report, UNOMIG made helpful recommendations that should prevent a reoccurrence of the attack.

UNOMIG has recommended the establishment of a patrol base in the village of Azhara in the Tbilisi-controlled upper Kodori Gorge, which would be equipped with unmanned aerial vehicles and artillery radar to be operated by UNOMIG.

Tbilisi has welcomed this recommendation. Sokhumi, however, has rejected it by saying it would only consider the proposal, if Tbilisi withdrew from the upper Kodori Gorge.

This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)