TBILISI. Sept 13 (Interfax-AVN) - Georgia and Russian should take joint measures to destroy international terrorist gangs located in the Pankisi gorge, former Georgian defense minister Tengiz Kitovani told Interfax-Military News Agency on Friday.
"The problem should be solved in cooperation for both parties are to blame for the situation; Russia did not prevent guerillas breakthrough to Georgia while Georgia accepted and covered them for a long time," Kitovani said.
Russia has the right to insist on the involvement of its troops in the operation against terrorists, he stressed. "This right of Russia can be explained by the fact that rebels relocate to its territory from Georgia and kill Russian servicemen and local residents," Kitovani went on.
According to him, "the operation against guerillas in the Pankisi gorge will be effective only if Russian troops and U.S. military observers are involved in it."