Abkhazian president discusses military plans

RIA Novosti, Russia
Aug 17 2005

MOSCOW, August 17 (RIA Novosti) – Abkhazia plans to use Russian
military specialists in its army, the president of the self-proclaimed
republic in Georgia said Wednesday.

“Our army is not rich – only 20% of its financing comes from
the budget,” Sergei Bagapsh said. “However, it is very mobile,
10,000-12,000-strong without reservists. It is much stronger with
reservists.”

Bagapsh said military exercises involving 6,000 troops were currently
under way in the republic and noted that Abkhazia adheres to a
defensive military doctrine.

“Statements that Abkhazia is importing weapons are groundless,”
he said. “We would be happy if someone took [the weapons remaining
from the Georgian-Abkhazian armed conflict in the early 1990s] away
from us.”

The Abkhazian president confirmed that his country would render
military aid to three self-proclaimed republics of the former Soviet
territory (Nagorny Karabakh, South Ossetia, and Transdnestr) in the
case of aggression against any one of them.

Bagapsh also said the agreements between the self-proclaimed republics
covered issues of peace, good-neighborliness, and cultural cooperation.