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    SOURCE: Kommersant, May 31, 2005, pp. 1, 10
    by Vladimir Novikov, Mikhail Zygar

    Agency WPS
    What the Papers Say. Part B (Russia)
    May 31, 2005, Tuesday

    EVERYBODY OUT

    Russia and Georgia have finally reached a consensus on the Russian
    military bases in Batumi and Akhalkalaki. Foreign ministers Sergei
    Lavrov and Salome Zurabishvili say that the bases will be out of
    Georgia by 2008. Russia has made considerable concessions to Georgia
    on this issue, but its troubles are only starting. Withdrawing the
    Akhalkalaki base and moving it to Gyumri in Armenia could sour Russia's
    relations with Azerbaijan.

    The foreign ministers of Russia and Georgia were expected to reach a
    consensus on the military bases in early May, but no breakthrough was
    achieved then. The negotiating parties failed to reach agreement,
    and President Mikhail Saakashvili of Georgia pointedly ignored
    an invitation to Victory Day celebrations in Moscow. Neither
    did diplomats fare any better by May 15. Several months ago, the
    parliament of Georgia passed a resolution containing an ultimatum,
    with the deadline set for May 15 - threatening to outlaw Russian
    military bases unless an agreement could be reached by then.

    Eventually, Moscow was forced to make considerable concessions. Back
    in 2000, Russia claimed that it needed 15 years for the withdrawal.
    Two years later, it insisted on 11-12 years; by 2004, it was
    demanding seven to eight years. Tbilisi was only prepared to give
    Russia three years. Russia and Georgia found some sort of a compromise
    yesterday. Their foreign ministers made a joint statement confirming
    that the Akhalkalaki base will be the first out of Georgia, followed
    by the base in Batumi. "The withdrawal will be completed in 2008,"
    Lavrov said.

    Gela Charkviani, spokesman for the president of Georgia, said
    yesterday that the Russian bases in Batumi and Akhalkalaki are no
    longer active bases as such; they are already shifting into withdrawal
    mode. Withdrawal of heavy military hardware will begin this year. At
    least 40 armored vehicles, including at least 20 tanks, will be pulled
    out by the end of this year. In 2006, Russia will turn over to Georgia
    all military facilities it doesn't use. The Akhalkalaki base is to
    be vacated by the end of 2006, and shut down permanently by October
    1, 2007. As for the Batumi base, it is supposed to be closed by the
    end of 2008 along with the headquarters of the Russian Army Group in
    Tbilisi. Military hardware from the Batumi base will be moved out by
    ship, and hardware from the Akhalkalaki base will be moved by road
    to Gyumri.

    Russia is not supposed to change or add to the weapons and military
    hardware at the bases. Rotation of personnel discharged from the
    military is permitted. Saakashvili's staff is already working on the
    appropriate statement.

    In accordance with what Moscow has insisted on all along, "some
    personnel and military hardware and infrastructure at the Batumi base
    will be used for the needs of a Russian-Georgian counter-terrorism
    center, to be established."

    Even as it moves to clear up a serious problem in relations with
    Georgia, the Kremlin has found itself facing another problem, no less
    serious, in relations with Azerbaijan. Official Baku has been unnerved
    and annoyed by reports that military hardware from Akhalkalaki will
    be relocated to Gyumri, Armenia. The government of Azerbaijan is
    particularly resentful about the failure of the Russian authorities
    to inform Azerbaijan in advance.

    The matter promptly deteriorated to the level of official protest
    notes. On May 23, the Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan served an
    official note to the Russian Embassy in Baku. The sharply-worded
    document states that the intended move of the base from Akhalkalaki
    to Gyumri would "inflame public opinion in Azerbaijan, run counter to
    the interests of regional peace and stability, and generate tension
    in the already-problematic conflict resolution process between Armenia
    and Azerbaijan." Baku essentially demanded that Moscow should abandon
    its intention to move the base to Armenia.

    Clearly, this diplomatic demarche was sanctioned by Azerbaijani
    political leadership. According to our sources, the Russian Defense
    Ministry is frantically seeking ways of alleviating the friction. For
    example, Russia could make some lucrative offers to Azerbaijan - for
    example, compensation in the form of cheap Russian military hardware
    for the Azerbaijani armed forces. But that could cause problems in
    relations with Armenia.

    Translated by A. Ignatkin
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