Georgia downplays Russian Minister’s claims about Georgia’s rearmament

The Georgian Foreign Ministry has denied the allegations of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov that Georgia is increasing its military potential. “These accusations are aimed at giving Georgia the image of an enemy,” Deputy Foreign Minister Nino Kalandadze said at the traditional Monday briefing.

“Moscow wants to create the opinion in the international community that international law is being violated in Georgia, as this will enable Russia to fulfill its plans in this country,” Kalandadze noted. These accusations do not give Tbilisi any grounds to panic, but the Georgian Government needs to be vigilant and avoid any kind of provocation staged by Russia, the Deputy Foreign Minister stated.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had said on December 4, after the NATO-Russia Commission session in Brussels, that Georgia is being supplied with assault weapons from abroad. He expressed his concerns about the “possible risks” caused by “the armament of the current regime in Georgia,” RIA Novosti reported. “The Georgian side is violating its commitment to the non-use of force against Abkhazia and South Ossetia,” Lavrov said. Moscow was also making such statements before the August war, Nino Kalandadze told journalists on December 7. “These statements should not be left without response when Russia is strengthening its military presence on Georgia’s occupied territories,” she said. “Georgia should use all tribunes to draw the attention of international society to this issue,” Kalandadze added.

The Deputy Foreign Minister commented on NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen’s statement that it is necessary to restore dialogue between Georgia and Russia. Rasmussen is well informed about the developments last August and the steps taken by Russia then, Kalandadze said. “Consequently, Rasmussen did not mean that the non-existent diplomatic relation should be restored immediately,” she stated. Georgia has reiterated its will to have normal trade and humanitarian contacts with Russia, just like other neighbouring partner or non-partner state, the Deputy Minister noted. “However, this will only be possible when Russia recognises Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Kalandadze said.

Speaking about the recent Ministerial on December 3-4, the Deputy Minister assessed the statements made in Brussels as “positive”. “NATO officials on all levels condemned all attempts to build new walls in Europe and establish spheres of influence in the region,” Kalandadze stated. “This is a security guarantee for Tbilisi. Georgia should always be in the spotlight of the international community,” she added. Georgia hails the reestablishment of the NATO-Russia Council, according to the Deputy Foreign Minister. “If we want to have a joint security formula, it is important to involve Russia in it too,” she said, adding that the West’s holding dialogue with Russia would be an “additional lever” to “defend the existing security”.

The first NATO-Russia Council since the Georgian-Russian war in August 2008 was held on December 4 in Brussels. “A trusting, productive NATO-Russia relationship is important not just for European security, but indeed for global security,” the Chairman of the NATO-Russia Council, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, said on opening the session. “Our goal should be to build a true strategic partnership between NATO and Russia, based on trust, shared views and shared goals. That may not be for tomorrow – but today’s meeting will be an important step in the right direction,” he said.