Georgia Ready to Cooperate with Russia in Combating Terrorism

(Tbilisi, June 23, 2003, Civil Georgia) – Georgian President Shevardnadze said today, while commenting the statement of his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin made at a June 20 press conference in the Kremlin that Georgia is ready to cooperate with Russia in combating terrorism.

?Putin thanked the Georgian authorities for arresting and extraditing several terrorists. He knows well what difficulties we had to face. Unfortunately, the situation in Russia is much difficult in this regard, therefore we are ready to cooperate,? Shevardnadze said.

Asked at the June 20 press conference what steps Georgia could take to defuse tensions with Russia, Putin answered: ?Georgia must ensure that its territory is not used as a base from which to launch attacks against Russia. That is all we ask for.?