Tweet
GEORGIA NOTIFIES CIS OF WITHDRAWAL FROM AIR DEFENSE AGREEMENT
RIA Novosti
18:12 | 14/ 05/ 2008
TBILISI, May 14 (RIA Novosti) - Georgia's Foreign Ministry has
announced its withdrawal from a 1995 CIS unified air defense agreement
signed by a number of former Soviet republics, including Russia.
Tbilisi officially notified the Foreign Ministry of Belarus, as the
depository of the document, of its decision on Wednesday. Georgia will
cease to comply with the agreement 12 months after Belarus receives
the notification.
The CIS is an alliance of former Soviet republics and the unified
air defense system includes Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,
Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Ukraine.
The Georgian ministry officially notified Russia on May 5 that it
would withdraw from a bilateral air defense agreement of April 19,
1995. A Georgian deputy defense minister said earlier his country
saw no practical benefit from the treaty with Moscow.
The move came amid rising military tensions between Russia and
Georgia over the breakaway Georgian republics of Abkhazia and
South Ossetia. Russia has said that Georgia is planning a military
operation in the republics, while the international community has
expressed concern over Russia's buildup of peacekeeping troops in
the disputed areas.
Georgia had previously withdrawn from the CIS Defense Ministers
Council, although it formally remained in the CIS unified air defense
system.
According to Russian military experts, Georgia's withdrawal will not
disrupt the operation of the unified air defense system, as Georgia
is not a key chain in the missile defense security system.
Political analysts however noted a political element to Tbilisi's
withdrawal from the agreement as Georgia continues its efforts to
move closer to NATO and away from the CIS.
RIA Novosti
18:12 | 14/ 05/ 2008
TBILISI, May 14 (RIA Novosti) - Georgia's Foreign Ministry has
announced its withdrawal from a 1995 CIS unified air defense agreement
signed by a number of former Soviet republics, including Russia.
Tbilisi officially notified the Foreign Ministry of Belarus, as the
depository of the document, of its decision on Wednesday. Georgia will
cease to comply with the agreement 12 months after Belarus receives
the notification.
The CIS is an alliance of former Soviet republics and the unified
air defense system includes Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,
Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Ukraine.
The Georgian ministry officially notified Russia on May 5 that it
would withdraw from a bilateral air defense agreement of April 19,
1995. A Georgian deputy defense minister said earlier his country
saw no practical benefit from the treaty with Moscow.
The move came amid rising military tensions between Russia and
Georgia over the breakaway Georgian republics of Abkhazia and
South Ossetia. Russia has said that Georgia is planning a military
operation in the republics, while the international community has
expressed concern over Russia's buildup of peacekeeping troops in
the disputed areas.
Georgia had previously withdrawn from the CIS Defense Ministers
Council, although it formally remained in the CIS unified air defense
system.
According to Russian military experts, Georgia's withdrawal will not
disrupt the operation of the unified air defense system, as Georgia
is not a key chain in the missile defense security system.
Political analysts however noted a political element to Tbilisi's
withdrawal from the agreement as Georgia continues its efforts to
move closer to NATO and away from the CIS.