GEORGIAN DM WARNS RUSSIA TO "THINK CAREFULLY" ABOUT SANCTIONS
Rustavi-2 TV, Tbilisi,
3 Oct 06
[Presenter] The Russian Defence Ministry will have to seek agreement
for the transit of military personnel and equipment to and from the
[102nd Russian military] base in Gyumri [Armenia] through Georgian
territory. The Georgian Defence Ministry has drawn up new rules under
the agreement signed earlier this year. Russia will only be able
to move personnel and equipment from the 102nd base through Georgian
territory with permission from the Defence Ministry, [Defence Minister]
Irakli Okruashvili said in Gori.
[Okruashvili] Those who think they can make life difficult for
Georgia’s people should think very carefully about similar levers that
we have. The fact that we are introducing new rules for transit to
the 102nd military base does not mean that we are going to completely
ban movements [of Russian military traffic], but we will strictly
control the movement of things that present a danger to our citizens,
such as sources of radiation, explosive materials and other dangerous
materials. This refers to the Gyumri military base and there will be
requirements and rules based on the standards of civilized countries,
so that they do not get the impression that they are coming and going
in some kind of banana republic.