Georgia bent on stirring trouble with Russia to secure NATO membership

It is obvious that Georgia has to resort to rather extraordinary tactics now bordering on blatant lies so that the issue of Russia’s “aggression” against Georgia may hold the spotlight in the media. Last week the Georgian Foreign Ministry accused Russia of yet another violation of Georgian airspace, an incident that allegedly took place on August 21. However, a number of details released by Georgian authorities with regard to the purported violation make one call into question Georgia’s allegations. The timing of the latest allegations, which were predictably denied by Russia, seemed to be quite perfect for a special meeting of NATO Council, which considered last Wednesday the issue of Georgia’s accelerated integration into the system of sharing radar data between NATO and Georgia.

	Russia and Georgia argue about air space violations (photo by artfoundry.com)
	BREAKING NEWS Russia signs billion-dollar deal with Saudi Arabia Mammoth earthquake hits China It was only the USSR that defeated Nazism
	Freak of nature: Giant jellyfish More...

According to the Georgian Foreign Ministry, a Russian aircraft illegally crossed Georgia’s borders on August 21 at 6.46 p.m. local time. The violation allegedly occurred north of Omarishara village in Upper Kodori gorge. In connection with the incident, the Georgian Foreign Ministry sent a note of protest to the Russian Foreign Ministry. The note demanded that the Russian government provide a “clear and immediate explanation pertaining to the fact.” It is noteworthy that the Georgian Foreign Ministry released some flight parameters while bringing a new accusation against Russia last week. Speed characteristics related to the allegedly Russian intruder aircraft looks especially striking. The aircraft was flying in the national airspace at 470-490 km/h, according to the Georgian Foreign Ministry. “Our Georgian colleagues must be starting to suffer from hallucinations,” said Army General Yuri Baluyevsky, Chief of the Russian Armed Forces General Staff, in a comment on Georgia’s allegations. Baluyevsky is confident that the flight parameters cited by the Georgian Foreign Ministry clearly indicate that there was no violation whatsoever of Georgia’s airspace. “Although I am an infantryman, I do know that a combat aircraft does not fly at such a speed. Even a helicopter flies at a slower speed,” said Baluyevsky. However, his comments did not have any effect on Georgian Deputy Defense Minister Batu Kutelia who said once again that Russia was deliberately trying to be at loggerheads with Georgia. He added that Russia had violated Georgia’s airspace for nine times in the last three times.

Speak your mind on Pravda.ru forum