GEORGIA GOT RID OF RUSSIAN SERVICEMEN
by Vladimir Novikov

Source: Kommersant, December 15, 2006, p. 10
Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
December 18, 2006 Monday

THE LAST TRAIN OF THE TBILISI GARRISON OF THE GROUP OF RUSSIAN FORCES
IN TRANSCAUCASIA LEFT GEORGIA; On December 18, the last train with
property and armament of the Tbilisi garrison of the group of Russian
forces in Transcaucasia departed from Vaziani suburb of Tbilisi to
Armenia, to the 102nd Russian military base in Gyumri.

On December 18, the last train with property and armament of the
Tbilisi garrison of the group of Russian forces in Transcaucasia
departed from Vaziani suburb of Tbilisi to Armenia, to the 102nd
Russian military base in Gyumri. General of the Army Alexander Baranov,
Commander of the North Caucasian Military District, reported that
overall 8 covered and 16 open platforms with vehicles and armament
were sent to Armenia. On December 19, it is planned to send to Gyumri
two automotive columns consisting of 12 vehicles each.

Personnel of the Tbilisi garrison will be evacuated from Georgia next
week. General Baranov sums up, "Thus, by the end of 2006, there will
not be a single Russian serviceman left in the Tbilisi garrison. Our
task is to withdraw troops from the Tbilisi garrison by the end of
the year."

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov made a decision on early
withdrawal of the Tbilisi garrison from Georgia back in October,
after the scandal with detention of several Russian officers accused
of espionage in Tbilisi and Batumi. Meanwhile, in accordance with the
agreement "On procedure for functioning and withdrawal of Russian
forces from Georgia" signed by deputy defense ministers of Russia
and Georgia in Sochi on March 31, the Tbilisi garrison had to leave
Georgia later than other Russian units, or by December 31, 2008.

After departure of the train there will not be a single Russian
serviceman left in Tbilisi except for the security of the empty
building of the Russian Embassy that Russian diplomats have left after
the incident in October. A group of 13 senior officers is being formed
from the former servicemen of the Tbilisi garrison and officers of
the staff of the group of Russian forces in Transcaucasia. This group
will go to Batumi and Akhalkalaki to manage closing the bases located
there (it is planned to withdraw the Batumi base the end of 2007,
and the base in Akhalkalaki by December 31, 2008).

Now the Georgian party is waiting for handing of real estate of the
group of Russian forces in Transcaucasia over to it. It includes
a huge building of the staff and adjacent territory with area of
several hectares.