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USA
are ready to help Georgia in military build-up, adviser to Defence Minister of
USA for questions of Georgia, Otar Shalikashvili declared at a recent press
conference in Tbilisi. As he said, in Tbilisi from October 29 till November 2,
there was a commission of military 26 experts of USA for estimation of armed
forces of Georgia.
The
head of mission, Otar Shalikashvili and colonel Alan Stolberg worked in the
Joint Staff of Armed forces of Georgia, other experts within five days have
visited some military units, have studied moral of military men, have estimated
their equipment and installations, fighting and physical preparation, have
familiarized with the order of service and life of the soldier and officers. Primary
goals of commission included studying requirements of armed Forces of Georgia
with the purpose of the subsequent development of the program of providing of
the American military - technical help.
If
during the first estimated mission in the last year, it was found out, whether
Georgia is ready in general to reception of the American help in this sphere,
now mission was engaged more in the specific targets connected to definition of
human and material resources of Georgia for reforming of army.
As colonel Alan Stolberg has noted, Georgian army becomes high-grade and
efficient in due course.
During
last week, the commission of experts has finished work and has come back in the
staff of European command of army of USA in Stuttgart. And experts on
estimations will present conclusions to command, and then general form of
materials of the mission will be directed to Washington, where the decision will
be made for the following stage of the American help for Georgia in military
sphere.
Otar
Shalikashvili emphasized, that the help would be carried out stage-by-stage,
increasing rates and volumes, however all will be determined by successes at
each stage. The main problem of the Georgian army - maintenance of the
constitutional requirements of the country, and USA render feasible support to
Georgia in it, he told. At the same time, the American experts have noted,
that without support of people and sufficient budgetary appropriations, it will
be very difficultly to support Georgian army up to the mark.
As
told Otar Shalikashvili, in the advanced countries on defense are assigned from
1 up to 2 percents from volume of internal total product. Despite of the
financial problems existing in Georgia, the adviser of Minister of Defence of
USA recommended Georgian government to provide necessary volumes of assignments
for construction of armed Forces in the budget of 2002.
Washington
considered necessary again to publicly show support to Edward Shevardnadze after
the crisis burst up in the country and resulted in resignation of the Georgian
government. George Bush called Shevardnadze and has expressed support and
understanding to the Georgian president. And after the ambassador of USA in
Georgia has met the ex-speaker of Georgian parliament, Zurab Zhvania, who is
considered by opposition as basic receiver of Shevardnadze, pathos of
performances and political rhetoric of the last became much more constrained.
Moreover, Zhvania made a number of announcements, in which he actually called to
support the president and to stop protesting opposition in the country.
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