Izrus.co.il: Global CST ready to cooperate with Abkhazia

Israeli holding Global CST is ready to supply Abkhazia with non-assault military techniques, internet portal Izrus.co.il reported on Tuesday. According to the portal, the de facto Abkhazian President Sergey Bagapsh met the managers of the Israeli holding in Moscow, following his unofficial visit to Turkey. Izrus.co.il writes that the meeting between the de facto President and the representatives of Global CST was “officially agreed with Jerusalem.”

According to Israeli media, the meeting was attended by former head of the Operative management of Israeli Defence Forces, Israel Ziv and former military secretary of Israeli Prime Minister, Meir Klifi. “Israeli side realizes the importance of strategic dialogue with Russia and Abkhazia and supports developing these relations,” Israel Ziv was quoted as saying. Citing an anonymous source, Izrus.co.il reported that Ziv expressed readiness to supply Georgia’s breakaway region with non-assault military techniques.

According to the news agency Apsnypress, after the meeting with Baghapsh, the Israeli delegation, 7 representatives of Global CST left for Georgia’s breakaway region to meet the de facto authorities there. Israel Ziv is heading the delegation, Apsnypress reported. Press service of the de facto Abkhazian Cabinet of Ministers stated that the visit will end on April 15. On April 14 the representatives of Global CST met the de facto Prime Minister of Abkhazia, Sergey Shamba and the de facto Defence Minister Merab Kishmaria. According to Izrus.co.il the meeting between the sides in Sukhumi lasted for five hours.

According to media reports, the de facto authorities and the Global CST officials discussed “prospects for realizing joint projects in spheres of infrastructure, natural resources excavation, agriculture and tourism.”

Georgian Foreign Ministry Press and Information Department Director, Ia Makharashvili told The Messenger that the Georgian MFA will not comment on the reports disseminated by Israeli media. Georgian Minsiter for Reintegration, Eka Tkeshelashvili also declined to comment, saying that the Georgian authorities have not yet verified the information about Global CST heads alleged visit to Abkhazia.

Israeli Ambassador to Georgia, Itzhak Gerberg commented on Izrus.co.il’s reports, saying that Israel’s official position on Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region are “clear.” “We do not recognize them as independent states and we are not going to sell them any kind of arms. It is possible that some private businessmen visited Abkhazia, but they cannot speak under the name of the [Israeli] Government. I reiterate, we are not going to sell arms to them,” information agency Interpressnews quoted Ambassador Gerberg as saying.

Information about an alleged meeting between the de facto Abkhazian President with the Israeli holding representatives comes a couple of days after Israeli defense electronics company Elbit Systems announced that it has sued the Georgian Government at the UK High Court of Justice for an amount of about USD 100 million. According to the press release of the Company, released earlier this week, the lawsuit was filed as a result of the Georgian government’s failure to pay amounts due to the Company in connection with deliverable items under several contracts signed in 2007.

The Israeli company claims that the Georgian side has not paid for unmanned drones Hermes 450. According to Israeli media, the company has provided the Georgians side with about 40 unmanned aircraft systems. Israel stopped selling arms to Georgia following the Russian-Georgian war in August 2008, Israeli media reports.