TBILISI. Nov 8 (Interfax-AVN) - The vessel carrying military equipment which is to be transferred by the Swiss Defense Ministry to the Georgian State Border Guard Department and Justice Ministry failed to arrive in the Georgian port of Poti on Tuesday, officials of the Swiss ministry told the Georgian party of Thursday.
The vessel's departure from an Italian port was delayed due to technical problems but they are already solved and the ship is expected in Georgia on November 20 to 21.
According to the Georgian Justice Ministry, the vessel carries 20 jeeps, sets of winter clothes and medical equipment for the Justice Ministry penitentiary department as well as two containers with equipment and clothes for Georgian border guards.
The vessel has left the Italian port and is heading for Poti, Georgian Deputy Justice Minister Georgy Tskrialashvili told Interfax-Military News Agency. The transfer of the Swiss humanitarian aid to Georgia will happen on November 21.
The Swiss Defense Ministry has sent the cargo yet in 2000, but a train loaded with jeeps, clothes and equipment was detained in the Russian city of Rostov-on-Don by customs officers who considered that the cargo was intended for Chechen rebels. After long negotiations the train returned to Switzerland and the authorities decided to send the cargo by sea avoiding the Russian territory.