Tbilisi Comments on Russian Press Reports on ‘Arms Talks’ with U.S.

The Georgian Foreign Ministry denied on January 17 a report in the Russian press that President Saakashvili pushed for arms deal with the United States during his meetings in Washington.

The Russian daily, Kommersant, reported on January 14 that President Saakashvili used his trip to the United States “to remind the American administration that Tbilisi is ready for talks on a large arms deal.” It also reported that Georgia wanted to purchase anti-aircraft weapons and Hellfire II anti-armor missiles.

“The Georgian President’s visit had totally other purposes. At the same time we were able to hold high-level meetings, which were very successful; very important issues were discussed during those meetings, including the issues addressed by the [U.S.-Georgia strategic partnership] charter – economic and trade issues, as well as security issues,” Nino Kalandadze, the Georgian deputy foreign Minister, said at a news conference on January 17.

“Namely on the issue reported by the Kommersant, of course there was no conversation on this matter in such details,” she added while responding a question about the Kommersant’s report.

In a transcript of the press conference, released by the Foreign Ministry later on January 17, Kalandadze is quoted: “Namely on the issue reported by the Kommersant, there was no conversation on this matter.”
 
A separate report by Russia’s Itar-Tass news agency preceded the one by Kommersant earlier last week, which cited unnamed source in Russian secret services and which claimed that the Obama administration expressed readiness to supply Georgia with anti-aircraft and anti-tank weapons “worth tens of millions of dollars.” The report was denied by the Pentagon.

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