MOSCOW, June 17 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's Black Sea
Fleet will not take part in any joint naval exercises involving
Georgian warships, a senior Russian military official said on
Wednesday.
The Ukrainian Defense Ministry earlier introduced to the
country's parliament a plan for approving the Confidence-2009
naval exercise, which proposes the participation of the Russian
Black Sea Fleet and Georgian Navy. Ukraine also wants Turkey,
Bulgaria and Romania to take part in the exercise.
"We will not take part in any exercise jointly with the
Georgian Navy - this is out of the question," said Vladimir
Popovkin, a deputy defense minister.
Diplomatic ties were cut between Russia and Georgia after
last August's war over South Ossetia, which began when Georgian
forces attacked the province in an attempt to bring it back
under central control.
Russia is also part of the Black Sea Naval Cooperation
Task Group (Blackseafor), which also includes Turkey, Bulgaria,
Ukraine, Romania and Georgia.
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