TBILISI. April 16 (Interfax-AVN) - Georgian Foreign Minister Irakly Menagarishvili has criticized Wednesday's statement by the Russian State Duma on the Georgian-U.S. defense cooperation agreement. He called it another attempt to interfere in the internal affairs of Georgia.
He told Interfax that his country is preparing a counter- statement. Asked whether the Georgian-U.S. agreement poses a threat to Russia's national interests, Menagarishvili stated that "Russian public opinion is being misled."
The foreign minister said "this document has no connection with Russia's national interests, which are allegedly being trampled upon. NATO signed similar agreements with ten former Soviet republics long ago." Menagarishvili believes that "certain people in Russia seem to benefit from these constant tensions with Georgia."
He noted that "by treating Georgia as an adversary: certain Russian circles make it clear that they have the same attitude to the United States."
Menagarishvili said that "neither today's statement by the State Duma nor any other similar steps will have any effect, and Georgian- U.S. cooperation will continue developing in a constructive manner."
On Wednesday, the State Duma adopted a statement, saying the Georgian-U.S. agreement "is aimed at further increasing the U.S. military presence in Transcaucasia."
If the steps envisioned in this agreement "are not balanced by corresponding actions by Georgia in relation to the Russian Federation, it may seriously upset the balance of power in Transcaucasia and create a threat to international security, primarily Russia's security," the document reads.
It is especially alarming that this agreement "allows U.S. servicemen to cross the Georgian border without restrictions upon the first demand of the U.S. Army, and it allows U.S. military equipment, arms, transport and cargo to be placed on its territory and moved without restrictions."