Arms Dealing Suspect Says Russian Peacekeepers Involved in Illegal Dealings

(Tbilisi, Civil Georgia, August 2, 2002) – Officer of the Georgian Defense Ministry Giorgi Mamardashvili, suspected in illegal arms dealing said that he obtained the weapons from the Russian peacekeepers deployed in the Georgia-Abkhazian conflict zone, Georgian State Security Ministry reports.

Valeri Khaburdzania, Georgian Security Minister told the reporters on August 1 that arrested Mamardashvili said the names of Russian officers, which are involved in the arms dealing.

Late in July police seized six anti-aircraft missiles in western Georgia. Officer of the Defense Ministry was carrying the weapons.

At the extended meeting of government State Security Minister said that the Russian peacekeeping troops in Abkhazia is one of the centers of the illegal arms dealing in Georgia.