Georgia Reiterates Russian Troops Pose Threat

The Georgian Foreign Ministry condemned on December 1 Russia?s criticism of Georgia?s Military Strategy – which lists Russian troops in Georgia as a threat – as ?incorrect and biased.?

?Against the background of the presence of Russian military bases on the Georgian territory, wherein cases of supplies of arms and military hardware to the separatists regimes by them [military bases] have been observed and [against the background] of the obvious militarization of the conflicts zones, threats listed in the Georgia?s National Military Strategy are absolutely real,? the Georgian Foreign Ministry said in an information note issued on December 1.

This is a response to the Russian Foreign Ministry?s November 30 statement, which says that allegations towards the Russian peacekeeping troops and Russian military bases listed in the Georgia?s National Military Strategy are ?absurd? and ?unreasonable.?

The Georgian Foreign Ministry has also reiterated and confirmed a section from the National Military Strategy, which says: ?There will always be forces in the Russian Federation that will provide active support to separatist regimes.?

?There are many examples of high-ranking Russian officials or politicians openly supporting separatist regimes with their statements, or concrete actions,? the Georgian Foreign Ministry?s information note reads.

The Georgian side also once again criticized Russian peacekeeping forces in the conflict zones.

?Their [peacekeepers] failure to implement authorities under their mandate – and in some cases their alliance with illegal, criminal armed formations – triggers an escalation of tensions in the conflict zones, which deadlocks the process of a peaceful resolution [of the conflicts],? the Georgian Foreign Ministry states.

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