Saakashvili Capitalizes on Tension with Russia ? Opposition Politician

There are forces both in the Kremlin and the Saakashvili administration interested in bilateral tensions, Davit Usupashvili, the leader of the opposition Republican Party, said in an interview with the Georgian daily, Rezonansi, published on September 3.

He said a sophisticated ?network of agents? is operating in both countries? administrations, capable of organizing incidents similar to the one on August 6, when a Russian aircraft, according to Tbilisi, intruded into Georgian airspace and dropped a guided anti-radar missile close to the South Ossetian conflict zone. Russia said the incident was staged by Tbilisi to discredit Moscow.

It is obvious, Usupashvili said, that both presidents, Vladimir Putin and Mikheil Saakashvili, were trying to capitalize on bilateral tensions. ?This type of Kremlin is a major asset for Saakashvili both for internal and external consumption. Saakashvili is trying to turn Russia into an enemy,? he said. ?Incidents occur every time there are plans to hold a bilateral meeting between the two presidents.?

Both Georgian and Russian officials confirmed in late July that consultation was underway to arrange a meeting of the two presidents sometime in August. The August 6 missile incident, however, undermined those efforts.

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