A group of US marines arrives in Tbilisi

A group of 25 US marines has arrived in the Georgian capital to instruct the third battalion of Georgian commandos within the framework of the training and equipment program.

As the office of the Georgian National Security Council reports, the US instructors will train the 11th brigade of the 111th battalion during three months.

On May 24 the third phase of the Georgian-US training and equipment exercises will be launched at the Military Academy of the Georgian Defense Ministry. The USA is allocating $64 million for the implementation of the program, which is due to be over at the end of this year.

The Georgian President has stated on many occasions that the Georgian troops trained by the US marines will not be employed for the settlement of the Abkhaz conflict. (However, there have also been statements to the contrary). Eduard Shevardnadze stressed that the Georgian commandos would struggle against terrorism and protect the Baku-Tbilisi-Geyhan oil pipeline.

Recently the Georgian President said in an interview with the Georgian TV channel that the Georgian troops trained by the US instructors would protect the northern segment of the Russian-Georgian border.