U.S. SENATOR URGES OBAMA TO REARM GEORGIA

Tert.am
13:03 ~U 23.12.09

A senior U.S. Republican senator is urging the Obama administration
and European allies to consider rearming Georgia, an action that
would inevitably upset Russia, reports The Associated Press.

The recommendation comes from Indiana Sen. Richard Lugar, a lawmaker
who has long cultivated cooperation with Russia. Lugar has been a
key ally for President Barack Obama on his pursuit of an arms control
deal with Russia that has been the centerpiece of the administration’s
efforts to improve relations with the Kremlin.

During the brief August 2008 war, Russia destroyed much of Georgia’s
military infrastructure and occupied two breakaway territories.

A report by Lugar’s staff, released Tuesday, warns that Georgia’s
military vulnerability could lead to further instability in the
Caucasus amid continuing tensions between Georgia and Russia. It urges
the administration to coordinate a strategy within NATO that strikes
a balance between Georgia’s security needs and NATO’s relationship
with Russia.

The report also warns that Georgia’s current insecurity could
destabilize the country and lead to greater nationalism.