Georgia Says No to Russian Military Involvement in Pankisi

(Tbilisi, Civil Georgia, July 30, 2002) – Georgian Foreign Affairs Minister Irakli Menagharishvili in the interview to the Russian state TV channel that “no foreign troops will act on Georgian territory.”

Menagharishvili commented on Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov’s statement that only the Russian troops are able to solve Pankisi problem, where the Chechen fighters are hiding.

“Pankisi problem will be solved only by the Georgian law enforcers and Georgian troops,” Irakli Menagharishvili said.