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The Alliance
US, Russia, Georgia smooth over relations
2002-03-04
  • Russia, the United States and ex-Soviet Georgia worked to bury their differences after an embarrassing feud over a decision to send U.S. training troops to Georgia exposed cracks in the anti-terror alliance. The announcement that Washington would send up to 200 elite troops to train and equip Georgia's rag-tag army, to rein in Islamic militants, sparked a storm of outrage in Moscow. But President Vladimir Putin abruptly withdrew Russia's objections on Friday, saying the hostile reaction had been prompted only because Moscow was late to be informed.

    On Saturday, top Putin security adviser Vladimir Rushailo flew to Georgia to attend the funeral of a close adviser of President Eduard Shevardnadze, a clear offer of friendship between two countries which have one of the stormiest relationships among former Soviet states. In Moscow, U.S. ambassador Alexander Vershbow went on a media charm offensive, giving newspaper, radio and television interviews to assure Russians that Washington had no secret agenda.
    What's really surprising is how light the resistance to the idea has been. There were the predictable eruptions from the Russian military, but Putin took charge right away and they shut up. I'd guess this was something that was discussed when Putin was in Texas as a "Phase II" and that he's just as aware of the benefit to Russia as we are of the benefit to the US.
    • Posted by:Fred Pruitt

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