Georgia Wants Russian Troops to Help Probe into Arms Trade Case

Georgian Interior Minister Vano Merabishvili urged the Tbilisi-based Headquarters of the Russian Troops in the Trans Caucasus (GRVZ) to help in investigation into cases of illegal arms trade, which, according to Merabishvili, are taking place on Russian military bases stationed in Georgia.

The Georgian Interior Ministry announced on September 19 that an employee of the GRVZ – Temur Grigalashvili – was arrested for illegal trade of arms and ammunition. According to a statement issued by the Interior Ministry, a team of undercover police officers were purchasing arms and ammunition from the suspect on the territory of the GRVZ.

?We know that Grigalashvili was not the only person involved in these illegal activities, but in order to identify other persons we need to cooperate with the Russian side. We are very restrained in carrying out investigations on the Russian bases, so I call on the Russian side for cooperation. I am sure the Russian side itself is not interested in illegal arms trade from its bases,? Interior Minister Vano Merabishvili said in an interview with Rustavi 2 television on September 19.

According to the Interior Ministry automatic weapons, ammunition, remote-control mines, portable radio stations and gas-masks were illegally sold from the Russian bases.

?We know the identification numbers of all this equipment and arms, which indicate and prove that these items were from the Russian military bases,? Merabishvili said.

But Col. Vladimir Kuparadze, who is deputy commander of the Headquarters of the Russian Troops in the Trans Caucasus, said on September 19 that the person who has been arrested by the Georgian police is not listed among the officers serving in the GRVZ.

?It is not a serious approach. They [the Russian side] can always say these kinds of things but it will not help to solve the problem. The Russian side itself should be interesting in helping us to eradicate illegal arms trade,? the Georgian Interior Minister said.

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