AZG Armenian Daily #077, 29/04/2005

Neighbors

THERE IS NO PROBLEM IN AKHALKALAKI

Tbilisi Assures Pres. Kocharian

Foreign minister of Georgia told BBC that the withdrawal of Russian military
bases from Georgia should be made through several stages and will finish in
2007.

“The Armenian inhabitants of largely Armenian-populated Akhalkalaki is said
to oppose the withdrawal of the base from the town. Is not Tbilisi concerned
that it will create new hotbed of tension there?”, Salome Zurabishvili was
asked. “People are not divided by nationality in developed countries as it
was in the Soviet Union. We all are citizens of Georgia, there are issues of
local character which we are able to tackle”.

“We have some time before Russian servicemen leave Akhalkalaki. This year we
looked to the economic development of the region aiming to recompense the
works that will emerge after the base is removed. But the Russian side
attempts to show that problems will occur after the withdrawal. This is a
“game” that we expected. We have discussed this issue with the Armenian
president and assured him that there is no problem”, Zurabishvili said.