ITAR-TASS News Agency, Russia
September 28, 2006 Thursday

Russia’s reply to Georgian demarche must be well-considered-Gustov

by Lyudmila Yeremakova

Russia must take harsh, well considered measures in response to the
detention of Russian military in Georgia, the chairman of the
Federation Council’s CIS affairs committee, Vadim Gustov, said on
Thursday.

He described Georgia’s latest demarche as another link in the chain
of events that may eventually lead to Georgia’s admission to NATO.

Georgia hopes that its unceremonious policy would earn it more
authority with NATO, Gustov said, adding he would not rule out that
Georgia might be number one target of US policies of making CIS
members break off with Russia.

As for the peacekeepers, Gustov recalled that “there are
well-established procedures of their presence in the region, there is
the CIS mandate and recognition by the OSCE.”

Should Russian troops be pulled out, “a long and sanguinary war will
flare up in the Caucasus that may cause destruction not in Georgia’s
territory only.”

The FC’s CIS affairs committee chief would like the other CIS
countries, including Armenia, to take the correct position on the
issue.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress