Russia’s Accusations on Russian Officer’s Murder Irresponsible – Georgian MFA
(Tbilisi, Civil Georgia, August 9, 2002) – Russian Foreign Ministry’s statement accusing Georgian authorities in murder of Russian officer Igor Zaetsev is “irresponsible,” Georgian Foreign Ministry’s Spokesman Kakha Sikharulidze said at the news briefing today.
Employ of Group of Russian Troops in Trans Caucasus (headquarters in Tbilisi) Colonel Zaetsev’s body was found in the suburbs of Tbilisi on August 7. He was missing since July 27.
“The Russian Foreign Ministry notified Georgia that the disappearance of Russian officer coincided with the incursion of Chechen terrorists into Russia from Georgia, that was followed with the anti-Russian campaign by the Georgian authorities. Such a situation encouraged criminals to commit murder of Russian officer. Georgian authorities are fully responsible for this crime,” Russian Foreign Ministry’s statement says.
Georgian Foreign Ministry official said today that giving to this murder a political aspect is inadmissible.
Today Georgian Interior Ministry reported that the person suspected in Russian officer’s murder is arrested. According to the Georgian law enforcers suspect is a citizen of Russian Federation Davit Gazashvili a former employee of the Group of Russian Troops in Trans Caucasus.
