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Friday,
August 10- August 24,
2007, #152 (1419)
By Nino Mumladze The military aircraft flying into Georgia on August 6 came from the northeast and went back the same way, confirmed an internal OSCE incident report leaked to the press two days after a missile struck earth near Tsitelubani. The OSCE document strongly corroborates the findings of Tbilisi's preliminary investigation on August 7, which squarely laid blame for the incident on Georgia's neighbor to the north. "The radar printout showed that aircraft entered and exited Georgian airspace in the area close to the town of Stepantsminda (formerly Kazbegi) at 14:31 GMT and 14:41 GMT respectively (local time is GMT +4), flying at an altitude of approximately 3700 meters," reads the report, compiled by a joint monitoring team comprised of joint peacekeeping forces, including Russian representatives, and OSCE observers. The radar records were provided by Georgian authorities. Stepantsminda-and the Russian border-are to the northeast of Tsitelubani village, which is itself close to the breakaway region of South Ossetia. The missile landed within 30 meters of local homes, but did not explode. The village is about 80 kilometers from the border with Russia, and just 65 kilometers from Tbilisi. Russia has categorically denied responsibility for the incident. Georgian officials announced they also have records from civil aviation radar which match the military radar data. Accounts from North Ossetian peacekeepers stationed at nearby observation posts that evening, as well as from South Ossetian civilian eyewitnesses, support Tbilisi's version of events. After inspecting the impact site, the joint monitoring team interviewed peacekeeper personnel at the Didi Gromi and Tsinagary observation posts. The commander of the Tsinagary post said his forces observed one airplane flying from northeast to southwest at an altitude of about three kilometers. Before it reached the observation post it reportedly launched a missile, then reversed direction and disappeared to the northeast. That information was verified by Didi Gromi personnel, who reportedly heard and saw the missile launch directly above their heads. The joint monitoring team also visited the South Ossetian-controlled village of Kvemo-Zakhori, where villagers repeated the peacekeepers' details of the flight path and missile launch. While the report firmly establishes the route of the aircraft, the joint monitoring team was unsure of the number of planes involved. The radar printout indicated a single aircraft, but the report references Georgian representatives on the ground who believe two jets flew into Georgian airspace that evening. A key question in the investigation is the type of aircraft involved. Both Moscow and Tbilisi agree that a Su-type attack jet fired the missile. Su-24s are commonly operated by Russia. Georgia uses Su-25s. An initial report issued by Georgian experts on August 7 claimed a Su-24 launched a Russian-made Raduga Kh-58 anti-radar tactical guided missile. The joint monitoring team, however, "could not definitely identify the missile type at this stage, and neither the type or number of aircraft." The team did determine that the missile was about three meters in length and 40 centimeters in diameter, with a "warhead [that] had not detonated on impact." Speculation varies on why the missile hadn't detonated, and whether the weapon was launched or accidentally jettisoned. Neither the Georgian investigation nor the joint monitoring team shed much light. Some observers suggest the missile was aimed at a nearby Georgian radar station. Others propose pilot error, dropping the missile by mistake after coming under friendly fire from South Ossetian militia forces-a theory reportedly being considered both by the Russian and Georgian sides. Secessionist de facto authorities firmly dismissed that possibility, however, saying that their forces in the area were armed only with light weaponry. With plenty of unanswered questions surrounding what Tbilisi termed "undisguised aggression and a gross violation of the sovereignty of the country," the Georgian government has called for a more thorough investigation of the incident. Foreign Minister Gela Bezhuashvili declared at an August 8 press conference that Georgia wants a UN Security Council emergency session on the missile incident. The minister also called on the European Union and its member states individually to participate in an investigative group of international experts. "This means we are open to a dialogue with everyone willing to establish the truth," he stressed. Speaking to media, Bezhuashvili cited the internal OSCE report as supporting Tbilisi's story. The foreign minister made the point that the OSCE's joint monitoring team included Russian and Ossetian experts, who would have signed off on the suggestion that the flight came from the north. "International relations imply many things and we all, including Russia, should have the courage to admit the facts," Bezhuashvili added. In the maelstrom
of developments, the Georgian foreign minister reaffirmed Tbilisi's
readiness to hold consultations with Russian counterparts in any format,
at any time, in either capital, to search for the missing answers. Moscow
has not announced any intention to meet. |
They
came from the north
