Russia agrees to hand control of tank workshop to Georgia

Kavkasia-Press news agency
24 Nov 04

Tbilisi, 24 November: Russia signed an agreement on the handover
of the Tbilisi armoured vehicle workshop to Georgia at the Defence
Ministry today. The agreement was signed by Georgian Deputy Chief of
General Staff Col Levan Nikoleishvili and the chief of staff of the
Group of Russian Forces in the Transcaucasus, Col Andrey Popov.

The armoured vehicle workshop is located on Moscow Avenue in
Tbilisi. Until now only Russian and Armenian military equipment has
been repaired there.

After the agreement was signed Nikoleishvili said that the workshop
would be handed over by 30 January next year, until which time it
will be jointly guarded by Russian and Georgian personnel.

Andrey Popov said that the Russian side would take it upon itself
to pay salary arrears to workers, although the amount has not been
specified.

“The factory employees will retain their jobs,” Nikoleishvili said,
adding that their working conditions would improve after the handover.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress