Georgian Defense Minister Giorgi Baramidze left for the United States on September 20, to, as he said, discuss with his American counterparts details of further U.S.-Georgian military cooperation.
According to the Georgian Defense Ministry, Baramidze will hold talks with U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld.
Russian media sources have speculated that Giorgi Baramidze?s visit is motivated by Georgia?s intention to obtain an anti-aircraft missile system from the United States. However, the Georgian Defense Minister denied this report prior to his departure by saying that this system ?is too expensive.?