Russian Defence Minister: Russia will not stand terror attacks from Georgian territory

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov has stated that Russia will not stand terror attacks from Georgian territory. The official said this on arriving in Washington. Sergei Ivanov will take part in the forthcoming session of the Strategic Stability Consultative Board whose members are the two countries' defence and foreign ministers. The session will take place in Washington.

"If another attack comes from Georgia or we discover that such an attack is being prepared, no one will wait until terrorists approach Russia's borders, disperse or start blasting houses or administrative buildings," Ivanov said. "The only thing we want is put an end to attacks and aggression from Georgia against Russia and its citizens, period," the minister stated.

When speaking about the situation around the Pankisi gorge, the minister said that his stand at such a discussion was "no measures at all are being taken against terrorists hiding there [the Pankisi] and none of those who definitely ought to be extradited, has been handed over to Russia." He emphasised that the Russian side "has loads of evidence proving that certain terrorists, not only Chechens, hide in Georgia." Ivanov added that there were "citizens of many countries" in the Pankisi gorge. The Russian defence minister stated that he was going to supply his American partners with extra classified intelligence data.