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Russian experts positive over withdrawal of bases from Georgia

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  • Russian experts positive over withdrawal of bases from Georgia

    Interfax News Agency
    Russia & CIS Military Newswire
    March 31, 2006 Friday 12:55 PM MSK

    Russian experts positive over withdrawal of bases from Georgia

    MOSCOW March 31

    The withdrawal of Russian military bases from Georgia will allow
    Moscow to cooperate more actively with Abkhazia and South Ossetia,
    Academy of Geopolitical Problems Vice President Colonel General
    Leonid Ivashov said.

    "Withdrawing from Georgia, Russia will be able to act more freely in
    the South Caucasus. Moscow will be able to interact more actively
    with Abkhazia and South Ossetia, including in the interests of
    guaranteeing the security of Russians leaving there," he told
    Interfax- Military News Agency on Friday.

    "Moreover, there will be an opportunity to activate cooperation with
    Armenia, Azerbaijan and other countries, ignoring Georgia's anti-
    Russian policy and Georgia itself," the expert said.

    Ivashov stressed that this approach is fully justified today. "It may
    chasten current or future Georgian leaders and bring our relations to
    a normal and calm route," he said.

    The withdrawal of Russian military bases from Georgia is a positive
    step by Moscow, Alexander Khramchikhin, chief of the Political and
    Military Analysis Institute's analytical department, told
    Interfax-AVN.

    "It is difficult to say why we needed these bases. In fact Russia did
    not really use them," Khramchikhin said.

    In particular, the Russian bases were not used to counter the
    militants who were operating from Georgian territory. It is known
    that Georgia was the main foothold of Chechen militants for a long
    time, and the presence of Russian military bases did not bother them
    in any way," he noted.

    According to him, the Russian military bases may remain in Georgia
    only if the situation in the region changes dramatically. "For
    instance, if the Russian military bases become necessary for Georgia,
    as they are now for Armenia, who views the base in Gyumri as a
    guarantee against Turkey's aggression," he said.

    "But in the foreseeable future I cannot imagine the return of Russian
    military bases to Georgia," the expert stressed.
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