The Alia; The Dilis Gazeti
“For clear reasons thousands of Chechen refugees have found shelter in Georgia. Some people call them “boeviks”, others regard them as terrorists”, the Dilis Gazeti says.
Relations between Georgia and Russia have got tenser after the terrorist act in the USA. “It seems state officials in Moscow thought that Washington D.C. was having its own concerns and would have no time for problems in Tbilisi”, the Alia states. Russian mass media as well as politicians there continue making accusations as if Georgia was harboring Chechen terrorists.
Georgian government was denying the idea of terrorists being in the country till now. “Russia’s pressure over Georgia got probably so high that Shevardnadze is ready now to hand Russia those 13 persons who came over Georgian border illegally”. Besides, President Shevardnadze condemned the so-called Chechen representation in Georgia and said it is not officially registered. In spite of all the above-mentioned the President stated he would never agree on the idea that all Chechens are terrorists.
“Briefly, as usual Shevardnadze tried to keep his balance policy and not to lean towards any of the radical sides”, the newspaper states. He is leaving for the USA soon and he hopes to win the support of Washington D.C. According to the newspaper, in case Russia passes military actions in Georgia while the USA attacks Afghanistan neither America nor the whole West will have time for defending Georgia.
The Alia criticizes Shevardnadze’s balancing policy while states that Tbilisi has not even tried to settle relations with Moscow and continues to be a member of the CIS meanwhile. “Russia has no reason to attack us…” Shevardnadze states but Georgian government do nothing in order to strictly and argumentatively deny the accusations about Chechen terrorists said to be in Pankisi and Kodori gorges.