RUSSIAN SERVICEMEN NOT INVOLVED IN GEORGIAN RALLIES – COMMANDER

Interfax News Agency
Russia & CIS Military Newswire
March 15, 2006 Wednesday 1:08 PM MSK

Georgian claims that Russian servicemen participated in Akhalkalaki
rallies demanding a more effective probe into the March 8 murder
of a village resident of Armenian origin are groundless, Colonel
Igor Luzhnikov, deputy commander of the Russian 62nd base, told
Interfax-Military News Agency by phone on Wednesday.

“Servicemen of the 62nd base stationed in Akhalkalaki do not take
part in any rallies. All accusations made by Georgian officials are
unfounded,” he said.

The entire personnel of the base are engaged in planned training and
preparation of hardware and materiel for the upcoming withdrawal from
Georgia, Luzhnikov said.

“Taking into account the deterioration of the political situation
in the region, I was instructed to personally make sure that our
servicemen stay out of politics. Let me say with full responsibility
that there were no cases of their participation in rallies,”
he stressed.

Gigorgi Khachidze, Georgian presidential envoy to the Samtskhe-
Javakheti region, said earlier this week that local residents serving
at the 62nd Russian base have taken part in protest rallies.

Locals have been rallying in Akhalkalaki daily since March 11. They
demand a more efficient investigation into the March 8 murder of a
village resident of Armenian origin.