GEORGIA: U.S. MILITARY EXPERTS BEGIN ARRIVING IN TBILISI AS PART OF A U.S. PLAN TO TRAIN GEORGIAN FORCES IN ANTI-INSURGENCY OPERATIONS

Record ID: 584881

  • Title: GEORGIA: U.S. MILITARY EXPERTS BEGIN ARRIVING IN TBILISI AS PART OF A U.S. PLAN TO TRAIN GEORGIAN FORCES IN ANTI-INSURGENCY OPERATIONS
  • Date: 30th April 2002
  • Summary: (W3) TBILISI, GEORGIA (APRIL 30, 2002) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) (NIGHT) 1. LV/SLV: PLANE TAXIING (2 SHOTS) 0.13 2. VARIOUS OF U.S. MILITARY DRESSED IN CIVILIAN CLOTHES GETTING OUT OF VEHICLE, LEAVING AIRPORT BUILDING AND LOADING LUGGAGE INTO VAN (3 SHOTS) 0.41 3. CU/VARIOUS: U.S. EMBASSY SIGN ON VAN/ EXPERTS LOADING LUGGAGE INTO VAN (5 SHOTS) 1.33 4. SV: VANS DRIVING AWAY 1.57 5. SLV: EXTERIOR SHERATON HOTEL 2.02 6. MV/SV: INTERIOR, U.S. INSTRUCTORS REGISTERING AT THE SHERATON HOTEL (2 SHOTS) 2.15 (W3) TBILISI , GEORGIA (APRIL 30, 2002) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 7. VARIOUS GEORGIAN OFFICERS GATHERING FOR THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE CREATION OF THE NATIONAL ARMY (3 SHOTS) 2.35 8. SCU: (SOUNDBITE) (English) GELA BEZHUASHVILVI, DEPUTY DEFENCE MINISTER SAYING: "This morning the groups of 18 U.S troops arrived. This is the logistics group that will conduct the training." 2.46 9. SV: DAVID TERZADZE, GEORGIAN DEFENCE MINISTER WALKING INTO BUILDING 2.58 10. SV: DAVID TERZADZE EXAMINING WEAPONS 3.10 (W3) OUTSIDE TBILISI, GEORGIA (FILE - MARCH 9, 2002) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 11. VARIOUS OF GEORGIAN SPECIAL UNITS TRAINING (7 SHOTS) 3.44 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 15th May 2002 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: TBILISI, GEORGIA
  • Country: Georgia
  • Reuters ID: LVA2W542HM47MMU55YSMQI6Z85Z5
  • Story Text: U.S. military experts have begun arriving in the
    former Soviet republic of Georgia as part of a U.S. plan to
    train Georgian forces in anti-insurgency operations.


    The first group of U.S military instructors arrived in
    the ex-Soviet republic of Georgia on Tuesday (April 30) to
    train Georgian special forces in what Washington calls the
    campaign against terrorism.

    Deputy Defence Minister Gela Bezhuashvili said the
    instructors were the first logistics group which will prepare
    the infrastructure allowing training to begin.

    "As far as I know, there are 18 of them. Training will
    start in May," Bezhuashvili said.

    The United States announced in February it was sending
    U.S. special forces instructors to train and equip Georgian
    armed forces in counter-insurgency operations, with the aim of
    restoring order in Pankisi gorge where al Qaeda members are
    said to have taken refuge.

    Georgian armed forces are expected to carry out a special
    operation in the gorge later this year, when their training is
    complete.

    Georgian military personnel have already stepped-up their
    anti-terror training.

    The move spurred speculation that Georgian President
    Eduard Shevardnadze might use his newly-trained troops to
    retake the Black Sea region of Abkhazia, lost in 1993 to local
    rebels in the most humiliating setback of his political
    career.

    The imminent arrival of U.S. army instructors has further
    soured Georgia's uneasy ties with northern neighbour Russia,
    which complained it had not been informed about the move.

    Moscow, although irritated by Georgia's pro-Western stance
    and displeased by a U.S. military presence on its southern
    flank, has grudgingly accepted the U.S. involvement.


  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register