Itar-Tass, Russia
May 14 2006
Russian weapons loaded on train in Georgia by schedule – official
TBILISI, May 13 (Itar-Tass) — The loading of the first train with
hardware and weapons from Russia’s military base in Akhalkalaki is
underway in the town of Tsalka, 50 kilometres from the base, and
proceeding by schedule, Deputy Chief of the Georgian General Staff
Alexander Kiknadze said.
He is personally watching the loading at Tsalka. `Seven T-72 tanks,
eight armoured reconnaissance vehicles, four armoured fighting
vehicles, 28 automobiles, and 340 boxes of shells for Grad systems
will be loaded today and tomorrow,’ he said.
Officers from the Group of Russian Troops in the Transcaucasia told
journalists that `all technical questions and problems that could
arise during the loading of hardware and weapons and their withdrawal
have been resolved together with the Georgian side.’
The weapons and hardware will take up 16 carriages, one carriage will
be for the guards and two for the property to be withdrawn from the
base to Russia, the command of the Russian troops in the
Transcaucasia told Itar-Tass.
Last week Russian troops set up a field camp and a ground for
collecting trains at Tsalka. Military hardware and weapons to be
shipped with the first train were brought to Tsalka in advance
because there is no railway in Akhalkalaki.
It will take two days to load the first train. It will leave Tsalka
on May 15 to go to Russia via Azerbaijan. The next three trains will
go to Russia on May 23, 25, and 30.
Trucks will take some of the military hardware and weapons from the
base in Akhalkalaki to the Russian base in Gyumri (Armenia). The
first convoy of trucks will go there on May 18.
The Georgian Defence Ministry and local law enforcement agencies will
ensure the security of the withdrawal.
The Russian pullout from Akhalkalaki will be completed in 2007. The
biggest part of military hardware and weapons will be withdrawn
between May 15 and August 15, 2006. The first motor vehicles left the
base in Akhalkalaki in the summer of 2005.