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In the Joint Staff of
armed Forces of Georgia, the plan of using military base in Vaziani, which on
July 1 will be handed by the Russian side to Ministry of Defense of Georgia. As
the Deputy Minister of Defense of Georgia, Gela Bejashvili informed, on base can
be relocated eleventh motorized-rifle brigade of Ministry of Defense, which is
deployed in settlement of Coda at 30 kilometers to the South of Tbilisi. This
brigade is indicative in the Georgian army and is reformed under standards of
the NATO. According to the Deputy Minister, there are also other options of
using of base in Vaziani, in particular, is considered the opportunity of
redeployment here of one of brigades of a Western direction. At the same time,
Gela Bejuashvili emphasized that now the main issue is to finish process of
disbandment of the Russian base in Vaziani. "During this process, which is
taking place under the control of the Georgian side, there are definite
questions and problems, but they are solved operatively ", - Deputy
Minister told. He considers that Russian side completely will carry out
obligation on disbandment of two bases in Vaziani and Gudauta taken in Istanbul
summit of OSCE of 1999. Having touched question of conclusion of Russian
military bases from Georgia deployed in Batumi and Akhalkalaki, Deputy Minister
expressed regret in connection with absence of any progress in negotiations of
the sides on terms of their demobilization. As he said, absence of motions on
this question is caused by the position of Russian side, which tries to prove
that for demobilization of these two bases not less than 15 years are required.
The Russian partners in negotiations try to prove the reasons of limited
financial resources of Russia, he noted. " Meanwhile, in one of rounds of
negotiations, Georgian side offered Russia to find the sponsor for acceleration
of process of conclusion of these bases, but it clearly declared in response
that Russia does not require other's money and will do all by itself", told
Gela Bejuashvili.
In the meantime,
conclusion of former Soviet arms from Georgia proceeds. Two railway echelons up
to the end of this month from 137th Vaziani bases will carry out the next shift
of export of Russian military property from Georgia. As the head of the press
service of Group of the Russian troops in Trans-Caucasus, Alexander Lutskevich
declared, it will take place within the framework of decisions taken in Istanbul
summit of OSCE of 1999 and the schedule agreed upon during 6th round of the
Russian - Georgian military negotiations in Moscow in March of current year.
According to Lutskevich, during this operation will be taken out the rear,
medical, special property and insignificant quantity of military engineering.
Taken out property will be delivered to Batumi, then through ships of the Black
Sea fleet to Novorossisk. According to decisions of the Istanbul summit of OSCE,
base in Vaziani and Gudauta should be closed till July 1, 2001. Negotiations on
terms of stay in Georgia of Russian military bases in Akhalkalaki and Batumi
proceed. Export of the Russian engineering and weapon began from Georgia on
August 7, 2000. In total, in 2000 from Georgia to Russia were taken out more
than 200 units of military engineering and arms.
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