US offers Russia and Georgia assistance in solving the Pankisi Gorge problem

According to US State Department spokesman Richard Boucher, the Bush administration offered Russia and Georgia "bilateral, and also trilateral assistance" to solve the Pankisi Gorge problem.

He spoke with journalists on Friday, underlining that the US considers "the cooperation between Russia and Georgia" is imperative to put an end to subversive activities of terrorists both on Russian and Georgian territories.

"It's necessary for them to establish closer cooperation in the region in order to stop terrorists," the spokesman stressed.

"Russia, undoubtedly, has concerns, which we share, about the terrorist activity in the Pankisi Gorge area and around it," Boucher said, "and it's obvious that the problem has to be taken care of." "The best way to solve this situation is to train Georgian army so that they themselves can deal with the problem on their own territory and protect their own borders," he stated.

"The Georgian authorities have already taken military measures to enhance security in this region, and we think that it's the best course of action," announced Boucher.