RIA Novosti, Russia
June 14 2005

Russia hands tank plant over to Georgia
20:48

MOSCOW, June 14 (RIA Novosti) – The chief of the Russian armed forces’
general staff said that the handover of the 142nd tank plant to
Georgia had been completed.

“I would not like to offend our Georgian colleagues, but, as the
saying goes, one shoulder of mutton draws another. And the Georgian
party is seeking to get ownership of movables in addition to real
estate assets,” Chief of General Staff Yury Baluyevsky said.

According to the official, the answer is clear: the movable property
belongs to Russia and cannot be transferred to Georgia.

“If they want to thwart the transfer of certain facilities, they will
be responsible for this,” the official stated.

Speaking on the withdrawal of Russian military bases from Georgia,
Baluyevsky said that the deadline had been fixed for the end of 2008.

“I do not want to elaborate on all the difficulties of the talks,”
he said adding that the deadline for the withdrawal was a compromise
decision, proposed by the Russian party, first of all.

“By the compromise I mean that the Georgian party must assume the
obligation to comply with the agreement signed by foreign ministries,”
the chief of general staff said.

Baluyevsky emphasized that Russia would do its best to fulfill every
obligation under all the agreements reached.

“However, this is a reciprocal process, and I want to believe that
the Georgian party will also do its best to fulfill its commitments
concerning this agreement and additional documents,” the official
stated.

He said that these documents were being worked on by experts. “But
I hope that the other party will comply with the agreement signed by
the two foreign ministers,” Baluyevsky stressed.

In accordance with the agreement on a gradual withdrawal of Russian
military bases from Georgia, all military facilities but the very
bases will be handed over to Georgia in 2005. In 2006 Russia will
withdraw heavy equipment from Akhalkalaki (near Georgian-Armenian
border). The Akhalkalaki base will be closed in the subsequent year.
After the remains of heavy equipment are removed from Batumi (a port
at the Black Sea) in 2008, the base in Batumi will also be closed.