We began our conversation with the Head of Defense Department with terrorist act in Afghanistan:
I.A. – Army is like a family, people like army and they take care of it. The Americans and NATO people care about our soldiers just like their own. In Germany, Americans look after our wounded soldiers exactly like theirs.
We have to give our respect to the families of deceased heroes. According to unprecedented decision, each family of deceased heroes irrespective of combat operations he took part in is assigned GEL 1.000 pension. The families of those soldiers who died in international operations will get GEL 100.000 one-time assistance.
Our militaries make a huge contribution not only in Afghan but global security. We want to become part of civilized world and for this we have to make our contribution in its security. We’ve taken this responsibility and no state with self-esteem will refuse this. By the end of 2014 our contingency will gradually decrease. From the next year place of dislocation of Georgian army will by and by be changed.
Q. – Wasn’t it a mistake from the very beginning to send this much contingency to Afghanistan?
A. – Politically this decision was absolutely correct. I and the whole army are proud that we can carry this burden with dignity. Retreat and fulfilling the terrorists’ demand won’t do us any good. As soon as the enemy sees that their tactics and psychological pressure worked and we decreased our contingency their attacks will increase tenfold. We’ll make no concessions with terrorists.
Q. – How could the terrorists manage to come so close to the Georgian base and explode the car – it’s a zigzag road (the car could not pick up speed) and besides the base has a surveillance tower controlling the adjacent territory?
A. – The terrorists couldn’t penetrate into the base. They exploded themselves at the place where the road comes closest to the base. Our militaries made no mistake. Simply up till now there was no tactics of self-explosion in a car used in this zone; they started it now.
Q. – We heard a point of view that Saakashvili’s declaration made our soldiers target of terrorists. What do you think with this regard?
A. – Airing of such thing on TV is inadmissible. In a private conversation you can ask a soldier something but airing of this was improvidence. We addressed the President’s administration. I believe such things won’t happen again. Announcement about Commander-in-Chief’s visit shouldn’t be made, it’s also dangerous.
Q. – Explosion at the Georgian base coincided with showing of video on YouTube in the name of Taliban, in which they threaten Georgian soldiers. Do you connect these two facts with one another?
A. – Investigation will establish origin if the video and whether it is connected with assault on Georgian base. Arrest and strictest punishment of perpetrator is obligatory. I take this video and filthiest and most amoral article published in the New York Times about our soldiers in Afghanistan as one plan of informational attack. It seems to be a purposeful informational assault on Georgia, its Euro-Atlantic choice, its discrediting.
Whoever does this, he is able to upload such videos in Georgia and mislead such authoritative publications as the ‘New York Times’. Afterwards they changed the article and published the answer of our Ambassador to USA but nevertheless the lie was spread.
Q. – It is said that our soldiers patrol the most dangerous areas.
A. – Soldiers of American infantry are dislocated at our base, we are working together. It gives pride to both armies that the best among best chose each other to carry out this operation. Britons, Americans and Georgians are at the most important and difficult zone.