Agence France Presse — English
May 23, 2005 Monday 2:53 PM GMT

Russian troops to leave Georgia, but foreign forces unwelcome: Putin

MOSCOW May 23

Russia must end its military presence in the ex-Soviet republic of
Georgia, but would consider the stationing of any other foreign
troops there a security threat, President Vladimir Putin said in
Moscow on Monday.

Putin told journalists that Georgia’s demands for a withdrawal must
be respected.

“Foreign bases of all countries in the world — if they are not
occupying troops — are there with the agreement of their partners.
If there is no such desire among our partners, then we have no
choice. We have to take this step. For better or worse, we are
leaving there.”

He added that “it would be good if after our departure that troops or
contingents of other, third countries did not appear. This would
affect our security.”

Putin reassured Russians that the two bases, one of which is in the
southwest Black Sea port of Batumi and the other at Akhalkalaki, near
the Georgian-Armenian border, have no military importance.

“The Russian bases in Georgia have no interest from the point of view
of protecting our security,” Putin told journalists. “This is not my
opinion, but that of the General Staff.”

However, Putin also underlined that Moscow would resist pressure from
Georgia for a speedy departure.

“There is nothing demanding a sudden or speeded up withdrawal of our
armed forces. Our partners’ use of pressure as a way of negotiating
is groundless.”

The two bases date from the Soviet era when they were part of the
Soviet Union’s south-western flank with NATO.

Georgia has applied for membership in NATO and hosts a small
contingent of US military trainers.

Negotiations between Georgia and Russia over a timetable for
withdrawal of the bases have often been acrimonious.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress