Agency WPS
What the Papers Say. Part B (Russia)
April 27, 2005, Wednesday

MOVING OUT

SOURCE: Izvestia, April 27, 2005, p. 1 EV

by Dmitri Litovkin, Natalia Ratiani

“We have reached an agreement that withdrawal of Russian military
bases will take place gradually, and may be launched by the end of
this year,” said Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Monday after talks
with Georgian Foreign Minister Salome Zourabichvili. The start of
2008 has been set as the deadline for withdrawal. Simultaneously, a
joint counter-terrorism center will be set up; it will use the
infrastructure of a Russian base.

Russia has declared its intention two days after presidents of
Georgia, Ukraine, Moldova and Azerbaijan called OSCE member nations
to apply its utmost effort so that Russia fulfilled its commitments
on withdrawal of troops and arms from Georgia and Moldova in
Chisinau.

Not all problems linked to the withdrawal have been settled. However,
Lavrov’s statement means that Russian military bases in Georgia must
move into withdrawal mode. The military hardware, other assets, and
personnel are allowed to be there for withdrawal; nothing new can be
brought in, and no personnel rotations will be possible either.

For instance, the new commander of the Russian Group of Forces in the
Caucasus was forced to be in command of the grouping from Armenia
after an entry visa to Georgia wasn’t issued in his name. According
to experts, the majority of Russian military hardware from Armenia
will be relocated to Armenia.

Withdrawal of Russian military bases from Georgia was among the most
urgent problems in Moscow-Tbilisi relations. Washington took an
active part in the problem insisting that Russia must carry out its
commitments under the Istanbul Agreement of 1999 as soon as possible.
However, Washington has “forgotten” for some reason that Moscow had
executed those commitments ahead of schedule – by withdrawing the
heavy military hardware from the territory of Georgia by January 31,
2000. Russia shut down its Vaziani and Gudauta bases by July 1, 2001,
which OSCE inspectors could be observing. As for the 12th Military
Base stationed in Batumi and the 62nd Military Base of Akhalkalaki,
under the Istanbul Agreement Georgia and Russia should have agreed
the withdrawal terms reciprocally. They’ve almost reached an
agreement, very symbolically: by the May 9 celebrations, which the US
president will attend and before the summit of CIS presidents in
Moscow.

Until recently, Russia linked the problem of the withdrawal to the
payment issues (according to Sergei Ivanov’s calculations, something
about $500 million required to set up new bases in Russia) and quite
long withdrawal terms: either seven or three years, but only starting
from 2008. Georgia objected to the amount of pay and the long period
of withdrawal. Moscow was uncompromising in its standing. “No
situation will be reiterated with withdrawal of the Soviet Army from
Germany, when divisions with the military hardware, ammunition,
soldiers, officers and their families were thrown out into a clear
field,” Ivanov promised. Zourabichvili confirmed in Moscow on Monday
that Georgia is ready to finance withdrawal of the military hardware
and the personnel, but until its own border. The very same day Prime
Minister Zurab Noghaideli of Georgia confirmed that jointly with
Russia Georgia “is ready to seek potential sources of funding for
withdrawal of the bases.” The USA, the EU and possibly the OSCE could
be used as such.

In the event that talks on the bases failed, Tbilisi had worked out a
plan under which the Russian bases should be declared illegal. The
Georgian security structures intended to set up tight control over
the Batumi and Akhalkalaki bases (some 2,500 servicemen) and prohibit
the Russian military to travel the republic. Georgia also intended to
ban the Russian military from conducting war games on its territory.
But a miracle has happened – Moscow has surrendered, quietly and
without a fight.

Translated by Andrei Ryabochkin