MOSCOW. Aug 28 (Interfax-AVN) - Chechen rebels may try to cross into Georgia, Georgian Security Minister Valery Khaburdzania told the press in Moscow on Thursday.
"We fear that groups (of Chechen rebels - Interfax) may try to penetrate (into Georgia - Interfax) from Chechnya. There is such a danger," he said.
However, the minister ruled out the possibility of a rebel invasion from the Pankisi Gorge in Chechnya.
"There are no forces capable of breaking in from the Pankisi Gorge. The incursion of any groups from our territory has been ruled out," the minister said.
Some rebels, "one, two or three persons," may try to come to Russia via Tskhinvali or Kazbegi (South Ossetia), he said.
Chechen field commander Ruslan Gelayev is not in Georgia, the minister said. He also does not think that Gelayev will try to come to Georgia. "I do not think that Gelayev wants to return," he said.
Chechen rebels are not acting in the Pankisi Gorge of Georgia, the minister said.
The Georgian Defense Ministry has submitted to the Georgian State Security Ministry a list of settlements where rebels are acting. It obtained the list from the Russian Defense Ministry, Khaburdzania said.
"The Georgian defense minister recently presented me with a list of settlements, where 50-70 rebels allegedly stayed. That was based on information from the Russian Defense Ministry," he noted.
He said the Georgian Security Ministry was perplexed by the information. "Any presence of rebels in the aforesaid places is not possible," he said.