| Moscow, 24 April: The leader of the Russian
liberal party Yabloko, Grigoriy Yavlinsky, According to information
agencies, there are grounds for thinking that
during his meeting with Edward Shevardnadze, President Putin has
found
the right solutions to Russian-Georgian relations and transferred
the
issue from the area of state conflict to the area of cooperation
between
the law-enforcement agencies of both countries.
Russia has incomparable power compared to that of its neighbours
and
assumes unparalleled responsibility potential for all developments
in
the region.
Russian military action against Georgia is inadmissible. The uncertain
results of such a military campaign would be incomparable with
the losses
Russia would sustain here, both domestically and internationally
from
spreading the war in Chechnya to a neighbouring independent state.
We
have lived as one state for two hundred years and for 70 years
under
the Soviets. The human, cultural and moral consequences of such
a step
could be disastrous for our nations.
The situation in the Pankissi Gorge in Georgia is not the key
issue for
finishing the war in Chechnya. According to our data, there are
far
more terrorists and militants in Chechnya and neighbouring regions
than
in Pankissi. Militants, terrorists and "soldiers of fortune",
weapons
and financial flows do not enter Chechnya from Georgia alone and
not as
significantly from Georgia. It should not be forgotten that Chechnya
gave birth to the Pankissi factor, and not vice-versa.
However, some of the military have proposed such a decision to
the
President. They tried to conceal from the President their inability
to
resolve the tasks they faced in Chechnya, and used a strike against
Georgia as a distraction for public opinion.
Is there a problem with Georgia in this sense? Most definitely.
Certain
forces in Georgia are providing political support to active opponents
of constitutional institutions in Russia. The Chechen rebels in
Georgia
should be disarmed, and terrorists neutralized and sentenced.
This
is the sense of the political cooperation between the Russian
and
Georgian leadership. Russia can and should exert pressure on Georgia
and use law-enforcement agencies. However, we should on no account
allow
this issue to be transformed into a military conflict between
the
two states.
Furthermore, the short-sighted and irresponsible intervention
of Russian
structures in Abkhazia, Adjariya and South Ossetia has no prospect
and
is very dangerous. Responding to the incitement of their separatist
desires by the Russia's political elite, Georgia believes that
it is
entitled to offer political shelter to Chechen terrorists. However,
by relying on the support of thr international community, Georgia
is
erroneously trying to provide "symmetrical"responses
and repeats
Russia's mistakes.
I hope that the summit in Kishinau will put an end to the military
hysteria aroused by the Russian political elite during the past
few
weeks.
See also:
Relationships
between Russia and Georgia
| 