(Tbilisi, June 24, Civil Georgia) – Georgian government can solve problems in Pankisi gorge, where terrorist groups are hiding only with cooperation with Russia, Russian media sources report quoting Vladimer Putin, President of Russia.
“Nobody, neither US special units, nor well-trained Georgian anti-terrorist units will not be able to settle situation in Pankisi without direct and active involvement of the Russian secret service and special units,” Putin said at the news briefing in Moscow on June 24.
Russia constantly offers Georgia to carry out joint operation in troubled Pankisi gorge against the terrorist and Chechen fighters harboring there. Georgia is against. Putin said that Georgia has fears towards Russia in this respect.
Georgian State Security Minister admitted in May that up to 700 Chechen and 100 Arab fighters are harboring in Georgia’s Pankisi gorge.