40 MOTOR VEHICLES FROM RUSSIAN BASE IN BATUMI HEADING FOR RUSSIA
ITAR-TASS News Agency, Russia
July 26, 2007 Thursday 03:58 AM EST
A rail train (11th this year) with motor vehicles and property of
the Russian military base in Batumi was dispatched on Thursday from
Georgia to Russia, Itar-Tass learnt from a spokesman of the command
of the Batumi base. He noted that the train of 32 wagons and flat
cars would bring 39 motor vehicles to Russia as well as one trailer,
missile and artillery property and lubricants.
The same train will bring to Russia military symbols of the Soviet
Union’s victory over Nazi Germany, which were on the grounds of the
Batumi base. "I mean two T-34 tanks, a self-propelled gun SAU-100
and a field gun ZIS-3," the base spokesman said.
The train is expected to cross the Georgian-Azerbaijan border on
Thursday afternoon and will continue its travel to Russia across the
Azerbaijan territory.
The spokesman noted that in August-September, the remaining part of
military hardware and property of the Batumi base would be gradually
dispatched to Armenia, to the Russian military base in Gyumri by six
trains and one motor convoy.
On Wednesday, assistant to the commander-in-chief of the Russian Land
Forces Igor Konashenkov said in Moscow that "Russia implements fully
and even ahead of time its obligations to withdraw the military bases
from Georgia".
He noted that the Russian military base in Akhalkalaki had been handed
over to the Georgian Defence Ministry late in June, although under the
agreement, this were to be done by October 1. The military hardware
and property of the Akhalkalaki base was dispatched to Russia and
Armenia in 2005-2006.
In compliance with the Georgian-Russian understandings, the Batumi
base will be closed down by October 1, 2008.