TBILISI. Dec 26 (Interfax-AVN) - The charges leveled at Georgia by certain Armenian political figures, who allege that Marneuli airport is preparing to receive Turkish air force planes, are absurd, Georgian Foreign Minister Irakly Menagarishvili told Interfax on Wednesday.
There are only evil intentions behind such rumors, he said.
Georgia will never be involved in activities against its neighbors, in particular Armenia, or be a source of danger to them, Menagarishvili said.
The tense situation in the Caucasus may indeed favor suspicions, but Georgia will always abide by neighborly principles, he said.
The issue of military cooperation between Georgia and Turkey was raised when Armenian Defense Minister Serzh Sarksian visited Tbilisi in the fall, Georgian Deputy Defense Minister Gela Bezhuashvili told Interfax.
Georgian officials told Sarksian that Georgia would never act against Armenia, he said.
Turkish engineers have shared in the overhaul of the airstrip, Levan Mamaladze, governor of the Kvemo Kartli region where it is located, told Interfax. The airstrip can receive Turkish and other planes that will share in anti-terrorist activities "not only in Afghanistan," he said.
The allegations that the Turkish air force will use Marneuli airport are being made by political figures trying to harm Georgian-Armenian relations, Mamaladze said.