RIA Novosti, Russia
June 8 2005
Russian experts arrive in Tbilisi to draft agreement on bases’
pullout from Georgia
19:39
TBILISI, June 8 (RIA Novosti, Marina Kvaratskhelia) – A group of
military experts headed by Russian Foreign Ministry ambassador at
large Lev Mironov arrived in Georgian capital Tbilisi on Wednesday to
draft an agreement on the pullout of Russian bases from Georgia.
The group’s task is to implement the statement which the Russian and
Georgian foreign ministers signed on May 30. It implies the
withdrawal of Russian military bases from Georgia in 2008,” Mironov
said.
Now we should draft a relevant agreement, he added.
There are no contradictions with the Georgian side on the pullout, he
said.
According to the Georgian Foreign Ministry, Deputy Foreign Minister
Merab Antadze will head the Georgian delegation.
Russian Foreign Ministry ambassador at large Igor Savolsky will join
the Russian delegation on June 10.
On May 30, Russian and Georgian Foreign Ministers Sergei Lavrov and
Salome Zurabishvili agreed that the withdrawal of the Russian bases
from Georgia will be completed in 2008.
Both sides had to make concessions during the talks. At first,
Georgia proposed 2007 for the final withdrawal and Russia – 2009.
In compliance with the Lavrov-Zurabishvili statement, in 2005 all
military facilities except the bases in Batumi (a port on the Black
Sea) and Akhalkalaki (on the Georgian-Armenian border) will be handed
to the Georgian side. Military hardware will be withdrawn from
Akhalkalaki in 2006 and the base will be closed in 2007. Military
hardware will be pulled out from Batumi in 2008 and the base will be
closed the same year.