Russian top brass arrive in Georgia to supervise withdrawal of bases – TV

NTV, Moscow
29 Jul 05

[Presenter] In four hours’ time the first convoy of Russian military
hardware is due to leave Batumi. Thus the withdrawal of Russian bases
from Georgia is officially beginning. Today only staff vehicles will
set off on a journey from Batumi to Vladikavkaz. Hardware will leave
in a week. Nugzar Karaselidze reports.

[Correspondent] A convoy of nine staff vehicles and two accompanying
cars will leave Russian Military Base No 12 in Batumi today. This
first convoy marks the start of the implementation of the agreement
reached by the Georgian and Russian foreign ministers on the
withdrawal of Russian bases from Georgia. This process will be
supervised by the Russian Defence Ministry which has sent top-ranking
officers to Georgia for the purpose.

[Vladimir Kuparadze, deputy commander of the Group of Russian Forces
in the Caucasus] A group of generals and officers has arrived in
Tbilisi to organize the withdrawal of arms and hardware belonging to
the Group of Russian Forces in the Caucasus to Russia.

[Correspondent] How smoothly the process of withdrawal will go depends
not only on the Russian military but also on their Georgian
colleagues. Yesterday [28 July] Georgian border guards detained a
Russian military convoy on its way from Alkhakalaki to Armenia: there
were no papers for five PK machine-guns and five flare guns. The
papers were delivered later. Shortly after that the military convoy
continued its journey. Georgian border guards say they have shown
understanding and did not engage in formalities.

[Korneli Salia, acting chief of staff of the Georgian State Border
Guard Department] It was a mistake of some officer who, when the
weapons were being loaded, placed them in the wrong place.

[Correspondent] The Russian and Georgian military will cooperate for
at least three years over the course of Russian military withdrawal
from Georgia. Under the existing agreement, the Russian bases must
leave Georgia not later than 2008.

[Video shows depots with Russian military hardware, tank guns being
covered in cases, c/r 0240-0420]