The Messenger, Georgia
Nov 22 2004

MP warns of attacks on Georgian energy
In Chile, Russian minister rejects claims and blames Georgia for
stalling
By M. Alkhazashvili

Chair of the Parliamentary Committee for Security and Defense Givi
Targamadze says that, according to credible information which he has
received that has been double-checked and verified, Russian Military
Intelligence is planning to destabilize the Georgian energy sector
through any possible means, including carrying out subversive acts on
Georgian territory.

By Sunday, Russian officials had rejected the claims, saying that
Georgia and Russia have in fact cooperated in many fields in the
energy sector.

On November 19 Targamadze openly accused Russian intelligence of
attempting to cause chaos in the Georgian energy sphere, saying that
because Georgia is so dependent on electricity imports, it is as a
result very sensitive to any disruptions in supply. If the
electricity transmission lines from Russia or Armenia are attacked
and destroyed, virtually the whole of Georgia will be without
electricity.

Speaking at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Chile on
Sunday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov categorically rejected
the claims, RIA Novosti reported.

“As to the sphere of power industry, in the past, Moscow and Tbilisi
coordinated the issue of the urgent reconstruction of the Inguri
hydroelectric power station,” Mr. Lavrov stressed, before accusing
Tbilisi of stalling to implement recent electricity agreements
between the two countries.

“These agreements have never been implemented for some reason,”
Lavrov said, “I think the Georgian side should carry out the
provisions of the agreements, instead of inventing some artificial
reasons.”

Not long ago the electricity transmission line in Shida Kartli
exploded and required a great deal of time and energy to restore. The
saboteurs were eventually detained by the Security Service, but only
after the sabotage had been carried out. According to newspaper Alia,
Targamadze says that Russian Military Intelligence plans to carry out
similar attacks on South Ossetian territory using local separatists.

Besides the damage to the Georgian energy sector, such attacks will
intensify the Georgian-Ossetian conflict as well, Targamadze warns.
Alia says that it is noteworthy that on the very day of his statement
unknown persons wearing masks blew up the 7th radio station on the
Baku-Supsa pipeline, only a few hundred meters from the Ossetian
village of Tsnelisi.

Targamadze’s information is yet to be verified openly, and some
Georgians have responded by saying that he is trying to pin the blame
for Georgian failings in the energy sector on Ossetian separatists
and the Russians, failings that are likely to be further exposed
during the coming winter. But if what he says is found to be true, it
leaves the government with the difficult job of trying to protect the
country’s energy infrastructure.

According to reports, Minister of Energy Nika Gilauri has not been
informed about possible attacks on transmission lines, although it is
not the responsibility of his ministry to provide protection.