Georgia’s Ambassador to US Says Anti-Tank Missile Deal Builds Greater Trust

(TBILISI) -- Georgia’s Ambassador to the US, David Bakradze, said the US State Department’s decision to sell Javelin anti-tank missiles to Georgia is another step in the process of building trust between Tbilisi and Washington.

“The (Javelin) missiles will strengthen Georgia’s self-defense capabilities,” said Bakradze. “This is a major step forward for state security. Unfortunately, the current leadership (of the Georgian Dream) has absolutely no idea how to ensure better self-defense for the country, this is the challenge.”

The Javelin is a portable, shoulder-fired anti-tank missile that is particularly effective against Russian and Soviet-made armored vehicles.

Military expert Zurab Agladze says the sale is “a new phase in Georgian-US relations” as the Americans only these types of weapons systems to very close allies, including Israel.

“The is an incredibly hi-tech weapons system that will give Georgia a major edge it its defensive capabilities, especially when having to deal with the older Soviet-era weaponry that the Russian Armed Forces still currently use,” said Agladze.

Russian military expert Alexey Podberezkin told Moscow’s state-run news agency Ria Novosti that Georgia and the US are actively engaged in an active “confrontation policy” with the Kremlin.

The State Department gave the green light for the $75 million sale of 410 Javelins, as well as 72 command launch units, to Georgia on November 17.