#4
GEORGIA'S ACCESSION TO NATO DOES NOT WORRY RUSSIA, SAYS DEFENCE MINISTER
ITAR-TASS

Washington, 19 September: The possibility of Georgia's accession to NATO does not worry Russia at all, Russian Defence Minister Sergey Ivanov, who came here for a three-day working visit, stated today.

"It is the sovereign right of any state to join NATO. However, if somebody thinks Georgia's accession to NATO will frighten us, he is making a big mistake," the minister added. Let them join anything, even the League of Sexual Reforms, if they wish. We don't care, Ivanov stressed.

It is more important, he noted, that the "Georgian leadership not only does not want and is unable to fight the Georgian terrorists, but is even cooperating with them".

"We have a heap of facts proving this. The American side was also provided with irrefutable proofs that Georgian officials are meeting and communicating with the terrorists, are helping them in an attempt to direct their actions against Russia, Abkhazia, Azerbaijan, or in the other directions they need," the minister noted.

"Since the Georgian leadership is not even trying to inform us about the upcoming actions of the terrorists, we have nothing left to do but to resort to the means we have at our disposal," he added.

"The time of empty talks is over." To start with, the minister pointed out, we must first get the 13 terrorists, whom the Georgian authorities had caught with arms in hand. "No proofs are needed in this case. The apprehended Japanese must be handed over to the Japanese side, and the 13 bandits - to us. Where is Gochiyaev, who masterminded the blowing up of apartment houses in Russia? Where is Gelayev? Are any proofs needed in their case?", Ivanov inquired.

"We cannot countenance such a policy of Georgia, letting the bandits and terrorists leave Georgia in any direction they wish. This does not settle the problem of terrorism and is apt to produce even graver consequences, including for Georgia itself," Ivanov stressed.

Speaking about the proposed establishment of a security zone along the Russo-Georgian border, Ivanov said that "this could be done only by the joint efforts of Russia and Georgia, and given their political will".

In his opinion, this zone could be from 20 to 45 km in depth, depending on the character of the terrain. The zone should run across territories "where there are no populated localities, in order to dependably guarantee the safety of the peaceful population".

Ivanov believes "the establishment of a security zone is a political-military measure and should include the territories both of Russia and Georgia". However, it should be borne in mind that "from our side the Russo-Georgian border is guarded much better than on the Georgian side", the minister pointed out.

Ivanov categorically denied the existence of any connection between the Pankisi problem in Georgia and the situation around Iraq.

Replying to an ITAR-TASS question, he said both these problems would be discussed during a meeting of the Russo-American Consultative Group on Problems of Strategic Security, which would shortly be held in Washington at the level of foreign and defence ministers. Ivanov stressed that Pankisi and Iraq were two absolutely different problems.

Commenting on the situation around Iraq, the Russian defence minister went on record for the earliest resumption of UN inspections in the country. "The experience of the international inspectors is perfectly sufficient to determine whether Iraq has any mass annihilation weapons or not. One month is more than enough for this," the minister believes.

BACK TO THE TOP    #223 CONTENTS    NEXT ARTICLE