Mamuka Areshidze, expert in Caucasus Questions declared that Georgian government has to be more careful with Pankisi valley.
Mamuka Areshidze said in conversation with the news agency GHN that, a few years ago Pankisi was associated with a terroristic groups and Russian Federation even now tries to manipulate with this in international community.
According to Areshidze, the information which was spread a few days ago in context of Georgia, about Al-Qaeda served namely such purposes.
Expert believes that for foreigner the Pankisi valley is closely associated with the danger of terrorism. So according to Areshidze the government has to pay much more attention to the valley, to avoid any possible complications caused.
"At the time, Russian mass media spread an image of Georgia as a shelter for terrorists, and a very hard struggle was conducted against this image. So, for the average foreign citizen, the Pankisi valley became a term denoting the connection with terrorism.
Russians are always repeating this and when the information about Al-Qaeda is in ether in context with Georgia, who knows the subject matter, naturally connects this to the Pankisi valley. I am talking about the average foreign citizen. Following this government's negligence or erroneous politics in this direction may turn very badly to us, "- Mamuka Areshidze said to GHN.
"Currently in Pankisi valley the traditional Islam is under oppression. But the vakhabits are in domination. Because of this the Georgian government has to pay attention to Pankisi. The Vakhabits being in Pankisi are loyal to the current government, but what will be tomorrow it is hard to make any prognosis, "- Areshidze said to GHN.
