MOSCOW. Feb 21 (Interfax-AVN) - Russia has repeatedly offered assistance to Georgia to conduct an operation in the Pankisi Gorge, Foreign Ministry sources told Interfax on Thursday.
"There is every reason to do so, both tangible and international. We are neighbors and CIS partners," the sources said.
"The Georgian side is adhering to a particular stance, although progress has been made over the past few months. A certain dynamic no doubt exists," they added.
Commenting on media reports of a Russian-U.S. agreement on joint actions with Georgia in the Pankisi Gorge, they noted that related to bilateral relations and problems is far from obvious." The sources admitted that they "and the Americans are discussing the Pankisi problem in the context of the overall anti-terrorist operation."