US Defense Secretary Advisor Talks on Train-and-Equip Program

(Tbilisi, May 15, Civil.ge) – Otar Shalikashvili, a chief advisor of the US Defense Secretary for US-Georgian military cooperation, addressed Georgian Institute for Public Administration and overviewed Georgia Train-and-Equip program [GTEP] on May 15.

“Georgia declined Russian proposal to participate in the joint operation in Pankisi. When Russia exert pressure on Georgian government, the United States informed the Russian Federation that the US is preparing to assist Georgia to develop its capability to protect its sovereignty,” Otar Shalikashvili stated.

“In other wards we told the Russian side that we would assist Georgia because Georgia is asking us not the Russians to help,” US military official stated while speaking about the background of the program.

The first stage of the program considers command center staff training, which according to Shalikashvili is scheduled to start on May 27.