Kasrelishvili: there are about forty militants in Georgia ready for transfer to Chechnya

There are about forty militants in Pankisi Gorge in Georgia near the Chechen border, who have gathered here for transfer to Chechnya and Ingushetia, states Zaal Kasrelishvili, chair of the Confederation of Caucasus Nations. In providing this information, Kasrelishvili refers to the data of the internal security service of the Confederation and the information of its supporters from Europe, Asia and North Caucasus.

For reference, the Russian party has repeatedly stated that members of illegal armed units arrive from Georgia to Chechnya.

"After Lavrov, head of the Russian MoFA, has accused Georgia of hiding militants on its territory, militants appeared in Pankisi Gorge. They came to Georgia from Azerbaijan and, according to unchecked information, intend to cross the border of the Russian Federation. There is some information that they plan to kill Kadyrov before autumn. Can you imagine what may happen if this happens? Russia may have a direct cause for attacking Georgia", stated  Zaal Kasrelishvili in his interview to the Georgian weekly newspaper "Kviris Palitra".

The chair of the Confederation of Caucasus Nations thinks that there is a confrontation between Medvedev and Putin and that Kadyrov plays an important role in it. Kasrelishvili regrets to say that there are people in the close environment of Georgian president Mikhail Saakashvili who take part in "these dirty games" to the detriment of the Georgian state and advise Saakashvili to pay more attention to this issue.

According to Kasrelishvili, there may be corporative interests among politicians not only in Georgia and Russia, but in a lot more countries.

The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent has phoned Zaal Kasrelishvili, chair of the Confederation of Caucasus Nations. He claims that he gave the interview to the newspaper "Kviris Palitra" as a warning to the Georgian authorities about the danger which is contained in "this shady enterprise".

Meanwhile, Paata Zakareishvili, political scientist and human rights activist, has noted in his talk with the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that he has no confirmed data on the presence of militants in Pankisi Gorge and that he generally is very doubtful about such statements.

"Anything can be expected from such regime. It may be a canard in order to demonstrate another aspect of the image of Russia as an enemy and to deviate the public attention from real problems existing in the country or to generally start one more crazy military adventure", stated Zakareishvili

Mamuka Areshidze, expert on Caucasus issues and founder of the "House of Free Speech", said in his telephone conversation with the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that Russia looks for new ways to exert pressure on Georgia and Pankisi Gorge may become an arena of military political processes. "I think that  Kasrelishvili warns the Georgian authorities about such danger. As regards corporative interests in this shady business, this is close enough to the truth", said Mamuka Areshidze.