Reuters AlertNet Lite - Experts invited by Georgia say plane from Russia

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Experts invited by Georgia say plane from Russia

15 Aug 2007 19:08:37 GMT
Source: Reuters

TBILISI, Aug 15 (Reuters) - A plane from Russia dropped the missile which landed in Georgia last week, experts from the United States, Sweden, Latvia and Lithuania said on Wednesday after conducting an investigation at Tbilisi's request.

Their report was issued a day before a Russian team was to start its own investigation into the incident, in which the missile landed in a field near a Georgian farming village but did not explode. There were no casualties.

The incident reignited feuding between Russia and its pro-Western neighbour. Last year, Russia cut transport, diplomatic and some trade links after a spying row but relations had been improving.

"An unidentified aircraft flew from Russian airspace into Georgian airspace and back again into Russian airspace three times," the eight experts said in their report.

"The first in Georgian airspace lasted less than a minute. The final two passes into Georgian airspace lasted significantly longer and the unidentified aircraft went deeper into Georgian airspace."

The experts, ranging from independent military analysts to to defence ministry employees, identified the missile as the Russian designed KH-58.

"The Georgian air force does not possess aircraft equipped with or able to launch KH-58 missiles," their report said.

Georgia wants to join NATO but the alliance's constitution says a country cannot become a member if there are conflicts within its borders, and Tbilisi has two.

The breakaway South Ossetia and Abkhazia regions fought wars against Georgia after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Their declarations of independence have not been internationally recognised but Moscow gives them moral and financial support.

Russia's Foreign Ministry said Moscow was sending its own investigators, including the head of the Russian air force, to work with Georgian counterparts.

"The Russian Foreign Ministry hopes that the upcoming Russian-Georgian cooperation will objectively clear up the circumstances surrounding the incident," the ministry said in a statement.

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Last updated:Wed Aug 15 19:08:12 2007