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The Pankisi Gorge, which lies on Georgia's border with Russia's
troubled Chechnya region, has become the focus of a complex
geopolitical battle in recent months. Tensions between Georgia
and Russia have long centered around Russian concerns of Chechen
rebel activity in Pankisi. And after the September 11 attacks
in the United States, a new US military presence in Pankisi
has given rise to Russian fears of losing a foothold in the
region.
Here, EurasiaNet presents news, analysis and background on
the ongoing geopolitical standoff in the Pankisi Gorge.
Daan van der Schriek
Georgian officials insist that the Pankisi Gorge was cleared
of Chechen rebels and Arab extremists during a security sweep
last summer. A visit by a EurasiaNet contributor did not find
evidence that could contradict Tblisi’s claims. At the same
time, the visit appeared to confirm that the region is still
not completely under government control.
More Stories on the Pankisi Gorge Situation:
Pankisi’s
Role in European Terror Plot Remains Unclear
Daan van der Schriek: 1/22/03
Military
Issues Block Russia-Georgia Détente
Sergei Blagov: 1/06/03
Pankisi Tension and International Law
A EurasiaNet Commentary by Christopher Waters: 12/20/02
A
Frightened Life in a Wooded Valley
A EurasiaNet Photo Essay by Clare Doyle: 12/06/02
Moscow
Hostage Crisis Causes Georgia to Worry About Russian Wrath
Sergei Blagov: 10/28/02
Putin’s
Hard Line in Chechnya May Soon Be Tested
Alex Vatanka: 10/28/02
Moscow
Hostage Crisis Underscores Risks of Georgia’s Chechen Dilemma
Giorgi Kandelaki
Videotape
Reportedly Sheds Light on Chechen Activities in Pankisi Gorge
Daan van der Schriek: 10/7/02
American
Military Raises Hopes in Depressed Georgian City
A EurasiaNet Photo Essay by Molly Corso: 10/04/02
Georgian
Security Operation Proceeds In the Pankisi Gorge
Jaba Devdariani: 9/3/02
Georgian
Parliament Calls for Tbilisi’s Withdrawal from CIS in Response
to Russian Raid
Irakly Areshidze: 8/27/02
Moscow
May Seek International Backing for Pankisi Military Operation
Sergei Blagov: 8/14/02
Pro-Russian
Georgian Officers Impede US Military Training Program
Irakly Areshidze: 7/29/02
Photo
Essay: A Decade of Strife Takes Toll on Abkhazia
Aldo Castellani: 8/02/02
Georgia
Invites United States to Chart Its Own Policy
Thomas Brady: 7/29/02
A Visit To Pankisi Gorge Raises Questions About Islamic
Radicals
Jeffrey K. Silverman and Phillip O'Ceallaigh: 5/23/02
Georgia
Faces Harsh Questions as American Training Begins
Mark Berniker: 5/28/02
US Advisors Prepare to Help Train Georgian
Military in Counter-Terrorism Operations
5/21/02
Caucasus Summit Cements Cooperation Among Turkey,
Azerbaijan and Georgia
Mevlut Katik: 5/03/02
Corruption in South Ossetia Complicates American
Mission in Georgia
Jeffrey Silverman: 5/1/02
Security
Interests in the South Caucasus Begin to Gel
Haroutiun Khachatrian: 4/18/02
Russian Maneuvering in Kodori Exposes Tangle of
Georgian Interests
Jeffrey Silverman: 4/1702
Russia Struggles to Counterbalance Rising
US Influence in the Caucasus
Igor Torbakov: 4/8/02
Security Officials Strive to Ease Caucasus
Tension
Sergei Blagov: 4/1/02
Georgian Defense Official Rules Out Force in
Abkhazia
A Q A with Irakli Alasania, Georgia's Deputy
Defense Minister: 4/1/02
European Fighters May Be Among Foreign Terrorists
in Georgia's Pankisi Gorge
Roddy Scott: 3/21/02
Kidnapping of CIS Peacekeepers Rivets Attention on
Abkhazia Volatility
Jeffrey K. Silverman: 3/20/02
Possible US Military Buildup in Georgia Raises Armenian
Concerns
Jean-Christophe Peuch: 3/14/02
Incoming Georgia National Security Official
"Knows the American Thinking"
A Q&A with Tedo Japaridze, Georgia's
New National Security Council secretary: 3/8/02
Does Moscow's Reaction to Developments in Georgia
Herald the End of Eurasia?
Igor Torbakov: 3/5/02
US Postpones
Chechen Broadcasts in Goodwill Gesture Towards Russia
Ariel Cohen: 3/6/02
US
and Georgian Officials Move to Next Phase of Military Deployment
Jaba Devdariani: 3/4/02
Criminal
Activity, Not Terrorism, Main Source of Pankisi Instability
- Opinion Poll
Ariel Cohen: 3/4/02
Death
of the Georgian National Security Council Secretary Still
a Mystery
Jaba Devdariani: 2/28/02
US
Military Advisors Headed to Georgia to Promote Anti-Terrorism
Training
Jeffrey Silverman: 2/27/02
Georgia:
Security Council Head Dies In Apparent Suicide
Jean-Christophe Peuch: 2/25/02
Moscow,
Washington and Tbilisi Wrestle with Instability in the Pankisi
Gorge
Ariel Cohen: 2/19/02
Islamic
Radicals From Afghanistan Active in Georgia - US Diplomat
2/15/02
Fresh
UN Resolution on Abkhazia Fails to Generate Optimism
Jaba Devdariani: 2/7/02
Pankisi
Gorge Kidnappings Hint at Chaos in Georgian Government
Jeffrey Silverman: 1/29/02
Georgian
Officials Prepare to Tackle Pankisi Gorge Problem
Jaba Devdariani: 1/15/02
Leading
Reformer Concerned About Drug Trafficking Menace in Georgia
A Q&A with Mikhail Saakashvili:
1/7/02
Georgia's
New Ministers of Interior, State Security Grapple With Legacy
of Mistrust
Jaba Devdariani: 11/28/01
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