FFS official on protection of the Chechen section of Russian-Georgian border

The Chechen section of the Russian-Georgian border is being adequately guarded this year, Nikolai Reznichenko, 1st Deputy Director of Russia's Federal Frontier Service, announced on Monday.

"Due to our rich experience where this matter is concerned, in 2003 we are placing border posts along the Chechen section of the Russian-Georgian border according to the plan as the snow melts in the mountain passes," he said.

According to his words, this border section is being guarded by a border guards' group and a "special task detachment" that was set up in the rear of the Argun Border Detachment to assist it whenever the border situation worsens.

As of today, Russian and Georgian border guards have established "necessary cooperation," mostly in the sphere of "exchanging information about the situation on the Chechen section of the Russian-Georgian border," Reznichenko reported.

He also said reconnaissance conducted by the border guards led to the discovery of more than 20 militants' caches containing around 52,000 pieces of ammunition alone. In all since December 1999, when Russian border guards were deployed in Chechnya's Argun Gorge, they have exposed more than 140 caches./