PULLOUT OF RUSSIA MIL BASE EQUIPMENT IN AKHALKALAKI RESUMES

ITAR-TASS News Agency, Russia
April 11, 2007 Wednesday

The withdrawal from Georgia of automobile equipment and property of
the Russian military base in Akhalkalaki will resume, a spokesman
for the base command told Itar-Tass. According to him, on Thursday,
the first convoy comprising 10 heavy-duty trucks with the property
of the base and three units of automotive equipment will depart for
Armenia to the Russian base Gyumri. These 10 trucks will return after
leaving in Gyumri the property and three automotive equipment units.

A total of six truck convoys with machinery and equipment of the base
will be sent from Akhalkalaki to Gyumri in April-May, and on May 17
and 24, a part of the machinery and equipment will be transported to
Russia by railway in two troop trains.

The schedule of the withdrawal of the machinery, property and troops
is coordinated with the Georgian Defence Ministry. The process of
the Russian troops pullout from Akhalkalaki and handing over of the
facilities to the Georgian Defence Ministry will be completed before
July 1, this year. All heavy machinery and weapons of the base had been
withdrawn from Georgia (part to Armenian and part to Russia) last year.

The pullout of the machinery and equipment of the Russian base
in Batumi that was launched two years ago, will be resumed in the
coming month and will be gradually completed next year. The Batumi
base should be closed before October 1, 2008.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress