Georgian MFA reacts to accusation of involvement in arms supplies to Armenia

The information that Serbia has supplied mortars and ammunition to Armenia via the territory of Georgia has nothing to do with reality, the Georgia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) has stated. It is unprofitable for Georgia to worsen its relations with Azerbaijan by contributing to the escalation of the Azerbaijani-Armenian armed conflict, the experts interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot" believe.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that the situation on the border of the Tovuz District of Azerbaijan and the Tavush Region of Armenia escalated on July 12. The Azerbaijani side announced the death of 11 of its soldiers and one civilian, and wounding of four soldiers. Given the four killed and 20 wounded people on the Armenian side, the count of victims since the start of the aggravation on the border made 40 killed and wounded people.

The Georgia's MFA assured on July 20 that no vehicles with weapons had passed across the country. The statement emphasizes that "one of the Azerbaijani media has spread a publication of a disinformation nature," the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent has reported.

The Azerbaijani edition has published information that does not correspond to reality, Tornike Sharashenidze, a political analyst and an expert with the NGO "Georgian Centre for Strategic Analysis", has suggested. "What is the point of transporting military cargo across Georgia and endangering the supply, when there is an opportunity to bring it all by air to Gyumri? Mortars are not such a bulky weapon that it can't be transported by air," he told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

Besides, in his opinion, for Georgia, it is "completely unprofitable" to spoil relations with Azerbaijan. "We have several large projects with Azerbaijan; investments and strategic partnership. It would be illogical to put all this at risk to please [...] Armenia," Mr Sharashenidze has stated.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on July 21, 2020 at 10:55 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.