TBILISI (Reuters) - Georgia's radars will probably be integrated into NATO's radar system by the end of this year, earlier than planned because of worries about Russian military flights, the Georgian Defense Ministry said on Thursday.
"Recent incidents prompted discussions in Brussels, at NATO headquarters, to speed up these procedures, so that Georgia is incorporated into that system as soon as possible," Georgian Deputy Defense Minister Batu Kuteliya told Reuters.
"They should probably be finished late this autumn."
The announcement came a day after Georgia accused Russian aircraft of trespassing earlier this week into its airspace and two weeks after it accused a Russian jet of dropping a missile on its soil. Moscow has dismissed the allegations as nonsense.
Integration of Georgia's radars into the NATO system will give NATO controllers real-time information about any incursions into Georgian airspace, Kuteliya said in an interview.
In Brussels, NATO spokeswoman Carmen Romero said she was unable to give a precise date for the linking of radar systems with Georgia's but added: "It seems that the implementation will be ready in the near future."
Georgia's pro-Western leadership has started procedures which could ultimately lead to the ex-Soviet country becoming a NATO member. Former imperial master Russia opposes Georgia's accession to the alliance.