RIA Novosti, Russia
May 14, 2005

TBILISI ADMITS SUCCESS AT THE TALKS ON BASES

TBILISI, May 14 (RIA Novosti) – Georgia is changing the tone of its
statements on the withdrawal of Russian bases. Gela Charkviani, press
secretary of the Georgian president, said on Saturday that “certain
progress has been registered” at the negotiations “and it would be
correct to carry them on calmly and without much ado.”
Georgia is set for a constructive dialogue with Russia, the press
secretary said. “We must not allow certain forces to undermine the
talks,” he stressed.

Commenting on the State Duma address to the Russian leadership
concerning the military bases in Georgia, Charkviani said that this
document “will certainly not help improve Georgia-Russia relations.”
The Russian deputies suggested that, should Georgia take unilateral
steps with regard to the bases without consulting Russia, the Russian
ambassador should be recalled for consultations, the issue of entry
visas to Georgian citizens should be stopped, and the Georgian
citizens staying in Russia without visas or in violation of the
registration regime should be deported.

The State Duma also deems it necessary to deliver energy to Georgia
at world prices and cut the volume of deliveries.

A total of 412 deputies voted for the address after Nino
Burdzhanadze, the speaker of the Georgian parliament, made a
statement that was assessed as blackmail in Russia.

Nino Burdzhanadze said that unless progress was made in the
determination of the timeframe for the withdrawal of Russian bases by
May 15, the Georgian parliament would take the harsh measures against
the Russian military group that were stipulated in the March 10, 2005
resolution of the parliament.

In compliance with that resolution, the Russian bases in Batumi
(Adzharia) and Akhalkalaki (on the border with Armenia) should be
dismantled and pulled out of Georgia by January 1, 2006. (Moscow
demands four years for their withdrawal or suggests transforming them
into joint anti-terrorist centers.) The government of Georgia was
instructed to take measures to speed up the withdrawal of the bases,
including by halting the issue of visas to the Russian military and
introducing a special regime of their movement in the country.