Moscow Comments on Incident at Gonio Training Ground

Commander of the Group of Russian Troops in Transcaucasus Andrei Popov told RIA Novosti Saturday that the Georgian military police tried to seize Russian military facilities at the Gonio training ground in the Adjara Autonomous Republic on January 20.

According to the Georgian Defense Ministry, Georgian servicemen planned to hold military exercises at the Gonio training ground, however Russian serviceme barred them from entering the training ground.

Both Georgian and Russian media reports say that the incident has already been settled.

Andrei Popov stressed that the actions directed against Russian servicemen and the facilities belonging to the Russian side will be eradicated. ?We have enough force and means for it,? he added.

According to the joint declaration signed by the Georgian and Russian Foreign Ministers in Moscow on May 30, the training ground in Gonio was transferred to the Georgian side last September. However, particular facilities of the training ground still belong to the Russian servicemen.

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