Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
August 1, 2005, Monday

THE PROCESS HAS BEGUN

SOURCE: Vremya Novostei, July 29, 2005, p. 5

by Mikhail Vignansky

THE FIRST COLUMN OF MILITARY EQUIPMENT LEAVES THE RUSSIAN MILITARY
BASE IN BATUMI

Today, the first column of military equipment is to leave the Russian
military base in Batumi. It consists of nine staff automobiles of the
12th Russian military base in Adzhariya and two convoy automobiles.
Under own power the equipment will start for Vladikavkaz. “So, it can
be said we begin the process of withdrawal of our bases”, said to
‘Vremya Novostei’ Deputy Commander of the Group of Russian Troops in
Transcaucasia, Colonel Vladimir Kuparadze. The withdrawal of bases
was set by the joint announcement of the foreign ministers of Russia
and Georgia on May 30.

Yesterday, from the 62nd military base in Akhalkalki to the 102nd
Russian military base in Armenia, the Russian military tried to move
radiation-chemical-biological defense machines. Mr. Kuparadze
specifically highlighted that, that was not the beginning of
withdrawal of Russian military bases from Georgia, but that was
removal of excessive equipment the Russian base, which had begun long
before the conclusion of the agreement by the foreign ministers.

Georgian frontiersmen detained the column. There turned out to be too
much “excesses” – frontiersmen found out that the Russian military
had no document for a machine-gun and several signal pistols. “We
explained that they comprised a component part of the armament
complex of fighting reconnaissance patrol machines (BRDM). We were
asked for additional documents, and we will deliver them. The
commander of the 62nd military base in Akhalkalki have already
prepared them”, said Vladimir Kuparadze. In several hours, the column
set on moving again.

The next stage will be withdrawal of about 40 tanks and other armored
equipment from the base in Batumi on August 5-10. Large landing ships
from the Black Sea Fleet will arrive for them. The 12th base must be
liquidated by 2008. As for the 62nd military base in Akhalkalki which
must be liquidated by the end of 2007, Russia asks Georgia to prepare
bridges on the route, as in their present state they won’t bear heavy
armored equipment. On the Russian bases in Georgia, there are now 115
tanks, 220 land troops fighting machines and armored troop carriers,
and 170 artillery systems.

Translated by Tatiana Khramtsova