[Marxism] South Ossetia: Georgian Troops, Tanks Massed For Assault

["David Quarter" <davidquarter@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

[From:                  Rick Rozoff ]


http://www.interfax.com/com?item=Geor&pg=0&id=5759184&req=


Interfax
October 1, 2004

Georgia setting up two army groups near border with
South Ossetia


-"An intelligence report suggests that up to ten T-72
tanks, some of which Tbilisi purchased in Romania and
some other tanks that were repaired in Ukraine, have
been deployed in Georgia's Kareli district alone.
These tanks are expected to take part in an invasion
of South Ossetia's Znauri district."



Moscow - Georgia is setting up two army groups on the
border with the self-proclaimed republic of South
Ossetia as part of its plans to launch strikes at the
republic from the direction of Znauri and Tskhinvali,
South Ossetian Interior Minister Robert Guliyev told
Interfax by phone on Thursday.

"By concentrating their forces in two directions -
Tskhinvali and Znauri - the Georgian authorities are
entrusting the task of surrounding Tskhinvali and
closing the Trans-Caucasus highway to traffic
traveling to [Russia's republic of] North Ossetia to
these army groups. This will become possible as a
result of two parallel strikes," Guliyev said.

"An intelligence report suggests that up to ten T-72
tanks, some of which Tbilisi purchased in Romania and
some other tanks that were repaired in Ukraine, have
been deployed in Georgia's Kareli district alone.
These tanks are expected to take part in an invasion
of South Ossetia's Znauri district," he said.

"Several dozen armored personnel carriers and armored
vehicles have been deployed by Georgia in Tskhinvali's
direction," the minister said.

Over the past few weeks, the Georgian Interior
Ministry has significantly expanded its police
contingents in South Ossetia's Georgian villages of
Kekhvi, Kurta, Achabeti and Tamarasheni, Guliyev said.


"The Georgian authorities need to understand that a
military solution will not suit the South Ossetian
problem," he said.
....
South Ossetia is legally a province of Georgia, but a
conflict in the 1990s led to its de facto
independence. Tensions between Tbilisi and Tskhinvali
have escalated in recent months, as Georgian President
Mikheil Saakashvili has stepped up efforts to restore
control over South Ossetia.

The Joint Control Commission on the Georgian-South
Ossetian conflict is holding a session in Moscow on
Thursday to discuss ways to ease tensions. The
commission comprises representatives of Georgia,
Russia, South Ossetia and North Ossetia.



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