Russian President’s aide Sergey Yastrzhembsky today accused Georgia of giving shelter to terrorists, adding that there is no ground for cancellation of visa regime between Russia and Georgia.
He said, recently Russian troops liquidated a group of militants, who had Georgian tourist visas in their passports, adding that most of these visas were issued within 2001-2002 years, while one of them was issued in August 2003.
“It means that Georgia still remains a hide-out for terrorists, who infiltrate into Russia from the Pankisi gorge,” Sergey Yastrzhembsky said at a news briefing on December 24.
He said the problem of the Pankisi gorge might be discussed during the talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Interim President Nino Burjanadze on December 25.
The Russian and Georgian leaders will meet in Moscow on December 25 to discuss the relationship between the two countries.
Interim President Nino Burjanadze expressed hope that the talks would be constructive.
Nino Burjanadze also commented on the statement of the Russian President’s aide upon her arrival in Moscow on December 24. She said that all the visas that were found in the passports of the killed militants were issued several years ago. “No such visas were issued in Georgia during this year,” she said.