Georgian officials in Washington warn of Russian military buildup in breakaway Georgia area

Georgian officials in US warn of Russian buildup

WASHINGTON — Georgia’s defense minister is warning about Russia’s military buildup as he meets with Obama administration officials in Washington this week.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Defense Minister Vasil Sikharulidze and Georgia’s ambassador to Washington, Batu Kutelia, said that Russia has vastly improved communication and supply lines on breakaway Georgian territory since the two countries fought a war last August.

Sikharulidze is meeting officials this week, including Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Thursday, at a time when the U.S. administration is trying to improve relations with Russia.

President Barack Obama is heading to Russia next month for a summit meeting with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, as the United State seeks Moscow’s cooperation on vital policy goals including reining in North Korean and Iranian nuclear programs. Though Washington considers Georgia a close ally, Tbilisi fears that U.S. support could flag.

The Georgian officials said that Russia has been building military bases, storage facilities for supplies and roads in South Ossetia and Abkhazia, Georgian breakaway territories that Moscow has recognized as independent. Georgia also says that the Kremlin maintains 6,000 Russian troops in each of the two regions in violation of cease-fire agreements.

“They are better prepared than they were last year,” Sikharulidze said.

The five-day war in August followed a buildup of tension over Russian support for the separatist regions and pro-Western Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili’s drive for NATO membership.

The Georgian officials would not speculate whether Moscow is preparing for another war but said the buildup in positions very close to Tbilisi, the capital, left Georgia more vulnerable.

“If they made the decision, it might require five hours for them to reach the capital,” Kutelia said.

The United States and European Union have urged Moscow to withdraw its recognition of the separatist provinces and says Russia’s military presence violates a cease-fire agreement that stipulated troops must return to prewar positions. Russia has ignored the criticism and recently signed deals giving it control over the borders separating Abkhazia and South Ossetia from Georgian-controlled territory.

But on Tuesday, Moscow denied that it was building up forces and said it may station fewer troops in the breakaway regions than it planned after last year’s war. At the time Russia said it would maintain 3,800 troops in each region, but First Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Kolmakov said Tuesday the target numbers could be smaller.

Sikharulidze said the buildup also could be intended to exert psychological pressure on Georgia’s government.

“They may be trying to imbalance us with this threat,” he said.