RUSSIA HANDS OVER LAST MILITARY BASE IN GEORGIA
Editor: Mu Xuequan

Xinhua

Nov 14 2007
China

TBILISI, Nov. 13 (Xinhua) — Russia has handed over to Georgia its last
military base in the Caucasus nation, ending its military existence
there since the Soviet era, news agencies reported on Tuesday.

Troops and vehicles of the Batumi base have been withdrawn and the
territory and facilities will be transferred to the Georgian Defense
Ministry, according to an agreement signed by Georgia’s Deputy
Defense Minister Batu Kutelia and Andrei Popov, commander of the
Russian military group in the Trans-Caucasus region.

The last train from Batumi has been loading on Tuesday, said spokesman
of the Russian Ground Forces Igor Konashenkov.

"The train is to depart from Batumi on Thursday, Nov. 15. It will
take the military cargo to Gyumri in Armenia for the 10th Russian
military base," Interfax quoted him as saying.