Moscow Calls for Cooperation on Control of Anti-Aircraft Arms

Russian Foreign Ministry expressed hope on February 4 that the recovery of an armed man-portable anti-aircraft missile system “IGLA” near the South Ossetian conflict zone will trigger Tbilisi to cooperate more closely with the partners in the Commonwealth of Independent States on (CIS) on control and non-proliferation of portable anti-aircraft missile systems.

According to the Georgian Interior Ministry, an IGLA anti-aircraft missile system was found on February 2 in the Kareli district of Shida Kartli region. Defense Minister Irakli Okruashvili alleged that the weapon was meant to down President Saakashvili’s helicopter.

“We have invited Georgia several times already to cooperate on the issues related with illegal trafficking of portable anti-aircraft missile systems on the CIS space. Unfortunately, our proposals did not trigger interest [by the Georgian]. In particular, the Georgian side has not yet undertaken any measures to implement a September 29, 2003 decision of the Council of Heads of CIS States on the control of portable anti-aircraft missile systems of the “IGLA” and “STRELA” types. Tbilisi has not yet reacted to a draft of a multithread agreement in frames of the CIS on an exchange of information on the purchase and sale of portable anti-aircraft missiles,” the Russian Foreign Ministry stated.

The Russian Foreign Ministry also noted that the Georgian side did not send its representatives to a meeting of experts from the CIS countries last year to discuss control and non-proliferation of portable anti-aircraft missile systems.

This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian)