Azerbaijan, Baku, Feb.6 / Trend E.Tariverdiyeva, N.Kirtzkhalia /
Strengthening U.S.-Georgia defense cooperation will contribute to regional security, experts believe.
"A very good trend is that the U.S. says publicly that they are ready to cooperate with Georgia in the defense sphere," head of the International Center of Geopolitical Studies Tengiz Phaladze told Trend.
Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili said earlier after his meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama that Georgian-U.S. military cooperation will enter a new phase aimed at increasing the defense capability of the Georgian Armed Forces.
Expert Ramaz Sakvarelidze told Trend that the meeting was important.
He stressed the importance of the agreement on deepening cooperation in defence and security.
"Strengthening the defense capability will certainly affect Georgian security and the opportunities to avert threats," he said.
After the meeting, U.S. companies will likely get permission to sell defense weapon to Georgia, military expert Giorgi Tavdgiridze told Trend while commenting on the agreements reached during the talks.
"The purchase of weapons is not a simple process. It also covers training for using these arms," he said.
The expert said measures aimed at increasing the level of training for Georgian servicemen will be carried out and U.S. instructors will arrive to the country soon.
He noted "there are close relations between the U.S. and Georgia and the internal resources are sufficient for Georgia to take part in international missions." He added that Georgia's relationship with the U.S. is important given the Russia factor.
Russia said U.S. weapons supplies to Georgia would lead to destabilization in the Caucasus.
"We are categorically against any weapons supplies to Saakashvili's
regime. If such a decision is made, it will destabilize the situation in the Caucasus," Russian Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov told reporters on Feb.2.
Military actions were launched in the Georgian territory of South Ossetia on Aug.8 in 2008.Later Russian troops occupied the city of Tskhinvali and drove the Georgian military back.Russia then recognised the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia in late August. In response, Tbilisi broke off diplomatic relations with Moscow and announced the two unrecognised republics as occupied territories.