EXPERT PROPOSES REDEPLOYING RUSSIAN MILITARY BASES IN GEORGIA
MOSCOW, May 16 (RIA Novosti) – Russian military bases in Georgia can be
redeployed to Abkhazia, Vice President of the Academy of Geopolitical
Problems Leonid Ivashov said at a press conference on Monday.
Abkhazia is a self-proclaimed republic which formally belongs to
Georgia but pursuing a pro-Russian policy. Many Abkhaz citizens have
Russian passports.
“Russia could re-deploy military bases to Armenia or Gudauta (Abkhazia)
to protect its citizens,” the expert said.
Once Russia had a military base in Gudauta which was withdrawn in
2000 in compliance with the Istanbul agreements. A decision on the
withdrawal of Russian bases from Georgia was made at the OSCE summit
in 1999. Today Russia has two military bases on Georgian territory,
in Akhalkalaki and Batumi.
The terms of the bases’ withdrawal is a stumbling block in
Russian-Georgian relations. The Russian Defense Ministry believes
that the troops can be withdrawn no sooner than in 3-4 years. The
Georgian side insists that this should be done by January 1, 2008.
In March 2005, Abkhaz President Sergei Bagapsh proposed deploying
the military bases in Abkhazia.
Leonid Ivashov is convinced that Russia will have to withdraw the
bases from Georgia.
“I hope for common sense of the Georgian leadership,” he said. In
his opinion, Georgian authorities will not aggravate relations with
Russia but will keep forcing the military bases out of Georgia.
Meanwhile, Georgian Defense Minister Irakly Okruashvili said today
that the government would display maximal liberalism in its position
on the bases’ withdrawal in order not to aggravate the situation and
achieve an agreement.
However, the Georgian side had serious instruments to put pressure
on Russia, Novosti-Georgia agency quoted Okruashvili as saying.