FIRST TRAIN OF RUSSIAN WEAPONS FROM GEORGIA HEADS FOR RUSSIA

ITAR-TASS, Russia
May 15 2006

BAKU, May 15 (Itar-Tass) — The first trainload of Russian hardware
and weapons from Russia’s military base in Akhalkalaki, Georgia,
that arrived in Azerbaijan on Monday evening is heading for the
Russian border.

The Azerbaijani railway administration told Itar-Tass that the Russian
train will get the “green light” along the way, in keeping with the
agreements between the two countries.

“The train will go straight through and reach the Azerbaijani-Russian
border on May 16, approximately at 2 p.m. Moscow time (1000 GMT). It
will proceed to Russia after formalities have been completed,” First
Deputy Transport Minister Musa Panakhov told Itar-Tass.

In his words, “The train will be handed over to the Russian side as
scheduled at 4.30 p.m. Moscow time (1230 GMT).”

The train left the station of Tsalka, Georgia, earlier on Monday. It
is carrying seven T-72 tanks, eight reconnaissance vehicles, four
infantry combat vehicles, four communication vans and 340 boxes with
rockets for Grad launchers.

All hardware and munitions are “in good condition,” Deputy
Commander-in-Chief of the Russian ground troops, Valery Yevnevich,
who controls the pullout process, told Itar-Tass.

“Hardware and munitions have been delivered by truck convoys by
mountain roads from Akhalakalaki, where there is no railway, to
Tsalka,” he said.

“We’ll strictly comply with the instructions of the Russian president
and the Defence Ministry. All hardware and munitions will be delivered
to the Russian bases and storage facilities on time,” Yevnevich said.

Under the agreements between Russia and Georgia, the withdrawal of
the Russian base from Akhalkalaki should be completed in 2007.

This year, 19 trainloads are expected to bring all hardware back to
Russia. The departures of other trains are scheduled for May 23, 25,
and 30.

Part of the hardware and munitions will be redeployed to the Russian
base of Gyumri, Armenia. The first truck convoy will leave for Gyumri
on May 18.

When all personnel, munitions and material supplies have been pulled
out of Akhalkalaki by late 2007, the base will be closed.