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Russians Start Withdrawal From Military Base In Georgia

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  • Russians Start Withdrawal From Military Base In Georgia

    RUSSIANS START WITHDRAWAL FROM MILITARY BASE IN GEORGIA

    Channel One TV, Moscow
    15 May 06

    [Presenter] The first convoy of military equipment left the Russian
    base at Akhalkalaki two hours ago. It contains 20 tanks and an
    equal number of reconnaissance vehicles. The heavy equipment will be
    completely removed from Akhalkalaki by the end of the year, and the
    personnel by the end of next year. Our correspondent Mikhail Robakidze
    reports from Georgia.

    [Correspondent] The first convoy of Russian military equipment left
    the Tsalka railway station at 10 o'clock. Yesterday the military were
    saying that the departure might be delayed until midday because of
    customs paperwork. But in the event everything was done in time and
    the convoy will cross the Georgia-Azerbaijan border by the end of
    the day. It will cross Azerbaijan on its way to Russia.

    [Igor Konoshenkov, head of information service, Russian Ground
    Troops] The Georgians are responsible for security inside Georgia. In
    Azerbaijan, the Azeris are responsible. And on Russian territory,
    the Group of Russian Forces in the Caucasus will provide guards to
    travel with the convoy.

    [Correspondent] The first convoy to leave Akhalkalaki will take seven
    tanks, eight infantry fighting vehicles, two radio stations and four
    communications vehicles. [Note: figures as heard, at variance with
    presenter's lead-in] In the meantime, enough hardware, weaponry and
    other resources for another two convoys have been gathered at Tsalka.

    Twenty-one convoys will go from the Akhalkalaki base by the end of
    this year. A further one convoy will go from Batumi to Russia via
    Azerbaijan. Only a small proportion of the hardware here is planned
    for redeployment at the Russian base in the Armenian town of Gyumri.

    [The entire process of vacating the base at Akhalkalaki will be
    completed on time, the deputy commander-in-chief of Russia's Ground
    Troops told Interfax-AVN Military News Agency. "The first convoy
    with armour deployed at military base No 62 in the Georgian town of
    Akhalkalaki departed for Russia today in accordance with the plan and
    schedule," Gen Valeriy Yevnevich said in a report at 0646 gmt. "And
    there should be no doubt that the other convoys will also leave in
    strict compliance with the plan and schedule endorsed by the chief
    of the General Staff."]
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