Russian Acting Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov told French newspaper Le Figaro that foreign mercenaries and terrorists infiltrate Russia via Georgia.
?Fighters constantly penetrate into the territory of Georgia, however neither the [Georgian] army nor the police take relevant measures to prevent it,? Sergei Ivanov said in an interview to Le Figaro.
?We have rooted out tens of foreign terrorists, including those from the NATO member-countries, mainly from Turkey,? Ivanov said.
Russian defense chief also said that dozens of terrorists arrested by the Russian law enforcers had Georgian visas in their passports.
This is not for the first time the Russian authorities accuse Georgia of harboring Chechen terrorists. However, the Georgian government dismisses the accusations, saying presently there are no terrorists on the territory of Georgia.
During his visit to Moscow in February Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili pledged to support Russia in fight against terrorism.
Georgian and Russian border guard chiefs are due to sign a cooperation accord enabling joint control of borders to prevent unauthorised movement across the Russian-Georgian border.