MOSCOW, TBILISI READY FOR COMPROMISE ON BASES
18:32

RIA Novosti, Russia
May 20 2005

TBILISI, May 20 (RIA Novosti) – Russian military bases will be
withdrawn from Georgia within 3.5 years by the end of 2008. At first
Tbilisi officials insisted on the beginning of 2008.

“We have almost completed drafting the agreement between the Georgian
and Russian presidents on the withdrawal of the Russian military
bases. Most issues have been coordinated already. We have to handle
some trifle details,” chairman of the public relations committee
of the Georgian parliament Konstantin Gabashvili told journalists.
According to him, Georgia has agreed to the terms mentioned in the
last proposals of the Russian Foreign Ministry.

Meanwhile, the Georgian parliament demanded from Foreign Minister
Salome Surabishvili detailed information on the negotiations with
Russia on the bases’ withdrawal.

“It is expedient to invite the minister to the Monday session of the
parliamentary bureau. On May 23, Tbilisi will host negotiations on
bases’ withdrawal. I believe that the parliamentary bureau should
be informed about the progress in negotiations before putting this
issue on the agenda of a plenary session,” speaker of the Georgian
parliament Nino Burdzhandze said Friday.

On May 23, Tbilisi will host a regular round of Russian-Georgian
negotiations on the conditions of the withdrawal of two Russian bases
in Batumi (Adzharia) and Akhalkalaki (Dzhavakhetia, a Georgian region
on the Armenian border with a large Armenian diaspora). Georgian Deputy
Foreign Minister Merab Antadze and Russian Foreign Ministry ambassador
at large Igor Savolsky will head the delegations of the two countries.