EuroNews – English Version
May 9, 2005
Tbilisi piles pressure on Moscow to pull out troops
Georgia’s capital Tbilisi has undergone a massive spring-clean ahead
of George Bush’s arrival.
The American leader’s visit, the first of its kind, is an opportunity
for this small country of just five million to make a good impression
and to highlight its strategic position on the international scene.
It comes as a blessing to the nation’s young west-leaning leader
Mikhail Saakashvili. He said last week he would not attend Victory
Day celebrations in Moscow amid growing tension over the continued
Russian military presence in Georgia:
“I think we need to solve the issue with the bases, it’s still
ongoing. I think it is one of the last legacies of the Soviet period,
the presence of former Soviet troops, presently Russian troops, in
the region of Abkhazia, in Adzharia, and other places in Georgia,”
said Saakashvili.
Some 3,000 Russian soldiers remain stationed in southern Georgia,
divided between the bases of Batumi, near the border with Turkey, and
Akhalkalaki on the border with Armenia.
In March, the Georgian parliament unanimously adopted a resolution
outlawing Russian military bases there, demanding they be forced to
leave if a deal is not reached by the 15th. of May.
While two bases were evacuated following a deal in 1999, no timetable
has been set for the two remaining ones.
Moscow says the cost would be too high and is calling for a gradual
withdrawal of its troops. Another major concern for Moscow is that
Georgia might authorise the deployment of US or other NATO troops on
its territory once Russian forces leave.
However, Tbilisi, which has never openly expressed any ambition to
become a member of the NATO alliance, has said it has no intention of
allowing any non-Georgian troops after the Russian pullout.
At a meeting last Friday, leaders from both countries failed once
again to reach agreement over a deadline for the pullout of Russian
troops.
Tbilisi wants the pullout to start this year and to end by 2008.
Moscow claims a withdrawal would take at least nine years – too long
for Saakashvili who wants to show the world his country is no longer
under Moscow’s control.