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Russia hints shorter term for pullout of troops from Georgia

PLA Daily 2004-02-03

MOSCOW, Feb. 2 (Xinhuanet) -- A senior official from Russia's Defense Ministry said Monday that it is possible to withdraw Russian military bases from Georgia in nine years, shorter than the 11 years that Moscow has insisted.

Pullout of Russian bases "could possibly be carried out in 7-9 years," said Gen. Yuri Baluyevsky, First Deputy Chief of the General Staff, according to the Interfax news agency.

But the colonel added that "everything will depend on when we can really start setting up infrastructure for the troops returning from Georgia."

It is the first time that a high-ranking military official expressed the possibility of a shorter time limit for the removal of troops, which the two Caucasus neighbors have long been at odds.

Russia has maintained its troops in Georgia since the Soviet era. It has removed two military bases from the former Soviet republic under the 1999 Istanbul agreement achieved with Georgia but has left two others in operation.

Experts estimated that the two bases, deployed in Georgia's Batumi and Akhalkalaki respectively, are manned by 8,000 servicemen and equipped with 150 tanks, 240 armored vehicles, and 140 artillery pieces, Interfax said.

Georgia wants them out within three years, while Russia insiststhat the complete removal of all troops would take some 11 years. So far the two neighbors have not reached any agreement on the dates of the withdrawal of the remaining bases.

Pointing out that it is unrealistic to remove the bases within three years and 11 years is a more reasonable timeframe, Baluyevsky proposed that "it is necessary to look for something in-between," and the bases must be withdrawn in a calm atmosphere.

Noting that the Defense Ministry's 2004 budget does not providefunds for setting up infrastructure for the pulled out troops, thecolonel expressed his hope that the Georgian leadership understands that time and finances are needed for the withdrawal of the remaining bases.