RUSSIA TROOPS ‘QUIT GEORGIA BASE’

Story from BBC NEWS:
europe/7095857.stm
Published: 2007/11/15 10:13:41 GMT

Russia says its troops have left their last base in Georgia, removing
a source of friction between the two neighbours.

A final convoy left its base in Batumi, Georgia, and crossed into
Armenia at about 2000 GMT on Wednesday, a senior Russian military
officer said.

So far there has been no confirmation of the move from Georgia.

Russian peacekeepers still remain in Georgia’s breakaway regions
of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Tbilisi wants them to be replaced by
international troops.

Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili has accused Moscow of supporting
separatists in Abkhazia and South Ossetia – a charge Moscow denies.

Russia says it has no more bases in Georgia. But Georgia says it has
no proof that a base in Gudauta, Abkhazia, has been vacated because
the region is under the control of separatist rebels.

The West has been demanding Russia vacate all its bases in Georgia
and in Moldova before it signs an amended treaty limiting conventional
forces in Europe.

Russia’s parliament earlier this month voted to suspend its compliance
with the treaty, which had been ratified by Moscow.

‘Air raids’

"There are no more Russian troops in Georgia," Gen Alexei Maslov,
commander of Russian ground troops, was quoted as saying by Russian
media.

"There remain only peacekeepers… in Abkhazia, and those that are
part of the combined forces in South Ossetia with the participation
of Georgia," the general added.

Igor Konashenkov, Gen Maslov’s aide, told Russia’s Ria Novosti agency
that the last convoy of troops and equipment left Russia’s base in
Batumi, south-western Georgia, on Wednesday night and later crossed
into Armenia.

Officials in Tbilisi have so far not commented on the reports from
Moscow.

If confirmed, the move comes nearly a year earlier than the agreed
closure of the Soviet-era Batumi base.

Another two Russian military bases in Georgia – at Tbilisi and
Akhakalakai – were shut down in the last two years.

Relations between Russia and Georgia have been deeply strained in
recent months.

Georgia, which seeks a Nato membership, has claimed that Russian
warplanes on several occasions violated its airspace and even dropped
a missile that did not explode.

Moscow denies the accusations, describing Tbilisi’s claims as
provocation.
From: Baghdasarian