Russian Defense Minister Comments on Pre-Emptive Strike

Russian Defense Minister Sergey Ivanov said Russia has never named Georgia as ?a concrete? target of pre-emptive strikes, RIA Novosti news agency reported on March 4. The Russian Defense Minister commented regarding the statements by the Georgian official calling for international border monitoring operation, citing threat of pre-emptive strikes by Russia.

?This issue is constantly pushed by the Georgian leadership, although we have never named Georgia as a concrete target,? he said; but added, ?Russia reserves the right to strike pre-emptively in frames of fight against international terrorists.?

Russia is accusing Georgia of harboring Chechen rebels and international terrorist groups in Pankisi gorge.

Georgian Foreign Minister Salome Zourabichvili said in Brussels on March 2 that international monitoring of Russo-Georgia border is of vital importance, because Moscow is threatening to launch pre-emptive strikes into Georgian territory.

But the Russian Defense Minister said that effectiveness of international observers ?equals to zero.?