U.S. Report Notes Georgia’s Improved Border Security
The Georgian government improved border security operations and worked to eliminate corruption at border checkpoints, according to the Country Reports on Terrorism 2007 released by the U.S. Department of State on April 30.
It also noted that the Georgian authorities focused their efforts “on stopping the smuggling of contraband, including money, illegal drugs, and all types of weapons (chemical, nuclear and biological) that could support terrorism.”
It also says that “significant improvements” in infrastructure at the major border crossing checkpoints have also been observed. This includes, the report says, new facilities at the Georgian-Armenian border and installation of a new coastal radar station at Chakvi, improving that facility’s ability to guard Georgia’s coastline.
According to the report the U.S.-funded Georgia Border Security and Law Enforcement program facilitated an expansion of Georgia’s Passport Identification Registration System to a total of 15 land border, railroad, and airport ports of entry.
The report also notes that although the land border between Russia and Georgia at Zemo proper remained closed throughout the year, the border crossings into Russia from the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia operated, but were not under the Georgian authorities’ control. “This situation allowed for the unrestricted and unidentified flow of people, goods, and other items from Russia into these regions,” the report said.
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