CSIS Expert Rules Out Horse-Trading Between US, Russian Over Georgia, Iraq

(Tbilisi, September 12, Civil Georgia) -“Opinion that the US would not react to Russia’s possible operation in Pankisi because of preparation for the strikes against Iraq is misleading,” Zeyno Baran, the director of the Caucasus Project and fellow of the Russia and Eurasia Program at Center for Strategic and International Studies, Washington D.C. told the Civil Georgia today.

US expert stated that the declaration of the Russian president is more for “domestic consumption.” She added that the US officials would never accept horse-trading on Iraq issues with Russia.

This statement defies some of the opinions of the Russian observers voiced earlier. Vyacheslav Nikonov of the Politika Foundation think-tank told ORT television: “I am almost certain that [Putin’s] conditions were set forth after consultation with our Western partners.”