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TBILISI, August 21 (RIA Novosti) - A delegation of the United States Marine Corps arrived in Georgia on Friday to discuss military cooperation between the countries, Georgia's Defense Ministry said.
The delegation, led by General James T. Conway, commandant of the Marine Corps, met with Georgian Defense Minister Vasil Sikharulidze, former defense chief Davit Kezerashvili, who oversees military ties with the U.S., and other officials.
"The main focus of discussions was on present and future cooperation. The sides also discussed the security environment surrounding Georgia, and priorities for the ministry, and reform issues," the ministry said in a statement.
A team of U.S. marine instructors earlier arrived in Georgia to train a battalion for service as part of coalition forces in Afghanistan. A team of 60-70 marines will be in the country for six months to help train a 750-strong battalion.
The United States helped train Georgian troops for a mission in Iraq before last August's armed conflict.
The International Criminal Court plans to include blockades against coasts and ports in its list of acts of war in 2009.
Stopping all land transport to and from an area may also be considered a blockade.
Originally posted by KonigKaos
If its war than be it, its the human way!
Russian prosecutors said on Monday that Ukrainian troops and members of a nationalist group were involved in Georgia's attack on South Ossetia last August.
"Ukraine's regular Defense Ministry units and at least 200 members of the UNA-UNSO nationalist organization joined Georgia in its military aggression against the republic of South Ossetia," the investigation department of the Prosecutor General's Office's said in a statement.
Russian investigators say they have found uniforms, photographs and documents belonging to Ukrainian National Assembly - Ukrainian National Self Defense (UNA-UNSO) members, as well as documents authorizing them to use vehicles provided by Georgian authorities.
TSKHINVAL, August 24 (Itar-Tass) - South Ossetia’s State Security Committee says Georgia prepares for terrorist attacks on the republic.
“The South Ossetian State Security Committee has information saying Georgian special services will prepare and commit terrorist acts on the republic’s territory,” according to a statement circulated by the State Security Committee on Monday.
Security services in South Ossetia say Georgia is preparing to carry out terrorist attacks in the republic. The reports are coming just a few days before the republic marks the first anniversary of its independence.
“The state security committee of the Republic of South Ossetia possesses authentic data about plans of Georgia’s special forces to prepare and carry out terror acts on the territory of South Ossetia in near future,” stated the security body.
Security measures are being stepped up. Citizens have been warned to report any suspicious activities to the police.
The news comes just a few days before the republic celebrates the first year of independence from Georgia, after Russia and later Nicaragua recognized the state.
A new pipeline to supply Russian natural gas to South Ossetia bypassing Georgia will be inaugurated in Tskhinvali on Wednesday, to mark the anniversary of the former Georgian republic's independence.
"Because of the situation that happened and in order to protect the peoples of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, no other decision was possible...I have no regrets about that decision," Medvedev told journalists during his visit to Mongolia.
Russia has reduced the number of its personnel stationed at military bases in Abkhazia and South Ossetia to 1,700 in each republic, the chief of the General Staff said on Wednesday.
Gen. Nikolai Makarov said that it was originally planned to increase personnel numbers to 4,800-5,000 but then "we decided that 1,700 should be enough."
Georgian Deputy Defense Minister Bacho Akhalaya was named the country's defense minister on Thursday, replacing David Sikharulidze, the presidential administration said.
Akhalaya started working for the ministry early this year, and earlier held the post of head of the Justice Ministry's Prison Service.
Akhalaya said Thursday his main task was to "increase defense capacity." He also said the armed forces would be modernized and the process of NATO integration sped up.
The Russian Federal Security Service's coast guards will work with Abkhazia's border service to protect ships passing through Abkhazia's territorial waters from Georgian forces, the FSB border service said Friday.
Lt. Gen. Yevgeny Inchin, deputy head of the border service, told RIA Novosti that measures to ensure protection from Georgia must also be carried out as part of preparations for the 2014 Olympic Games to be held in the Russian resort of Sochi, near Abkhazia.
Georgia says Abkhazia is part of its territory and considers the delivery of cargo to the republic by sea without Tbilisi's permission to be illegal. Georgia's coast guards have detained 23 ships in Abkhazia's waters since early 2009.
Asked whether Russia's coast guards will stop Georgia from detaining ships going to and from Abkhazia, Inchin said his service has special boats to fulfill this task. "Believe me, they will do this effectively and productively, as the 'Sochi factor' with the upcoming Olympic Games is now a decisive one," he said.
Georgia's state minister on reintegration, Temur Yakobashvili, told RIA Novosti on Friday that Tbilisi will consider Russian coast guard operations in Abkhaz waters as piracy.
"Along with illegal activity on Abkhaz territory, Russia now wants to become a pirate," he said.
Originally posted by Vitchilo
Russia to fight piracy (georgian piracy) off Abkhazia waters. This could be interesting since Georgia consider Abkhazia waters to be theirs...now Russia will help Abkhazia...either Georgia will have to let the oil cargos go to Abkhazia, aka backing down, or confront Russia....
Russia to help guard Abkhazia's territorial waters
The Russian Federal Security Service's coast guards will work with Abkhazia's border service to protect ships passing through Abkhazia's territorial waters from Georgian forces, the FSB border service said Friday.
Lt. Gen. Yevgeny Inchin, deputy head of the border service, told RIA Novosti that measures to ensure protection from Georgia must also be carried out as part of preparations for the 2014 Olympic Games to be held in the Russian resort of Sochi, near Abkhazia.
Nice pretext...
Georgia says Abkhazia is part of its territory and considers the delivery of cargo to the republic by sea without Tbilisi's permission to be illegal. Georgia's coast guards have detained 23 ships in Abkhazia's waters since early 2009.
23 ships!
Asked whether Russia's coast guards will stop Georgia from detaining ships going to and from Abkhazia, Inchin said his service has special boats to fulfill this task. "Believe me, they will do this effectively and productively, as the 'Sochi factor' with the upcoming Olympic Games is now a decisive one," he said.
Nice. Russia will defend boats going to Abkhazia.
Georgia's state minister on reintegration, Temur Yakobashvili, told RIA Novosti on Friday that Tbilisi will consider Russian coast guard operations in Abkhaz waters as piracy.
"Along with illegal activity on Abkhaz territory, Russia now wants to become a pirate," he said.
GO AHEAD GEORGIA. MAKE RUSSIA'S DAY.
[edit on 28-8-2009 by Vitchilo]
"This is all done for domestic propaganda, to show that the authorities are pursuing an active policy toward Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Our government has not got the means to make the violators actually pay the fine," said independent analyst Georgy Khukhashvili. "For example, no one is trying to fine Russian energy companies operating in the two republics. Inter RAO also controls a large share of Georgian power generation sector. Russian mobile operators, for example: they work in Abkhazia, but nobody fines Beeline in Georgia. This is all just empty propaganda," he added.
U.S. military specialists are starting on Tuesday a new training course for Georgian troops set to join an international peacekeeping force in Afghanistan, the Georgian Defense Ministry said.
A team of U.S. marine instructors earlier arrived in Georgia to train a battalion for service as part of coalition forces in Afghanistan. A team of 60-70 marines will be in the country for six months to help train a 750-strong battalion. [...] The United States helped train Georgian troops for a mission in Iraq before last August's armed conflict.
Originally posted by Vitchilo
Really, really... That's Obama ``peace deal`` with Russia...
U.S. resumes training of Georgian troops
U.S. military specialists are starting on Tuesday a new training course for Georgian troops set to join an international peacekeeping force in Afghanistan, the Georgian Defense Ministry said.
A team of U.S. marine instructors earlier arrived in Georgia to train a battalion for service as part of coalition forces in Afghanistan. A team of 60-70 marines will be in the country for six months to help train a 750-strong battalion. [...] The United States helped train Georgian troops for a mission in Iraq before last August's armed conflict.
Look, if Georgia spent $1B annually on improving their economy (instead of buying weapons) and became a new Switzerland on the Black Sea (which it has every opportunity to do), all these "breakaway" republics would be begging to rejoin Great Georgia. Instead, the money and lives were wasted for all sides.
I think big V's point was if Obama really wanted to make a peace deal
with the Russians, we wouldn't be training Georgian troops to fight them.
Originally posted by Vitchilo
I think big V's point was if Obama really wanted to make a peace deal
with the Russians, we wouldn't be training Georgian troops to fight them.
Yeah basically. Obama the warmongerer should stop saying he's pro-peace and admit what he really is, a warmongerer. Increase in troops in Afghanistan, continuing support of Georgia to this disgusting regime.
America should at the very least ignore Georgia or tell them they won't talk to them until there's real elections and that this crazy bastard Saakasvilli is out of there.
And yeah, america shouldn't be spending money to train georgian troops.
Originally posted by aecreate
reply to post by john124
Hey John, do us a favor and stop quoting the entire previous post and
just hit the "reply" button, which is right next to "quote" button.
Why shouldn't we provide that training?
Well, do you really think it's going to help the situation?
Or will it just continue to foment violence n the region?
To myself, this just seems like the status quo of ongoing American Imperialism.
We get some other dumb country (proxy) to do our dirty work, so we can secure
their strategic resources for our own profit and use. And well, I don't think my tax
dollars should be used for that, especially in this time of budgetary concerns.
And I like to reiterate buddhasystem's points-
Look, if Georgia spent $1B annually on improving their economy (instead of buying weapons) and became a new Switzerland on the Black Sea (which it has every opportunity to do), all these "breakaway" republics would be begging to rejoin Great Georgia. Instead, the money and lives were wasted for all sides.
Couldn't have said it any better.
I think big V's point was if Obama really wanted to make a peace deal
with the Russians, we wouldn't be training Georgian troops to fight them.
But I don't want to put words in V's mouth, so I'll let him respond.