RUSSIA: RUSSIAN AND GEORGIAN OFFICIALS REPORT PROGRESS IN TALKS OVER RUSSIAN TROOP WITHDRAWAL FROM THE FORMER SOVIET STATE

Record ID: 643513

  • Title: RUSSIA: RUSSIAN AND GEORGIAN OFFICIALS REPORT PROGRESS IN TALKS OVER RUSSIAN TROOP WITHDRAWAL FROM THE FORMER SOVIET STATE
  • Date: 25th April 2005
  • Summary: (EU) MOSCOW, RUSSIA (APRIL 25, 2005) (REUTERS) 1. RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER SERGEI LAVROV AND ZOOM OUT: GEORGIAN FOREIGN MINISTER SALOME ZURABISHVILI WALKING IN AND SITTNG DOWN FOR TALKS 0.10 2. SCU: LAVROV TALKING 0.27 3. SCU: ZURABISHVILI TALKING 0.36 4. WIDE SHOT OF TALKS IN PROGRESS 0.39 5. LAVROV AND ZURABISHVILI WALKING IN TO GIVE PRESS CONFERENCE 0.46 6. (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER SERGEI LAVROV SAYING: "We both agree this withdrawal should be stage by stage and could start as early as this year if we sign a proper agreement." 1.03 7. OFFICIALS STANDING 1.07 8. (SOUNDBITE) (Georgian) GEORGIAN FOREIGN MINISTER SALOME ZURABISHVILI SAYING: "We need an agreement not only about the general principles and timeframe, but we also need agreement on all the stages and details." 1.31 9. ZURABISHVILI AND LAVROV STANDING 1.36 10. (SOUNDBITE) (Georgian) GEORGIAN FOREIGN MINISTER SALOME ZURABISHVILI SAYING: "I must see all these details worked out before I can make a recommendation to my president." 1.50 11. ZURABISHVILI AND LAVROV SHAKING HANDS/WALKING AWAY 2.02 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 10th May 2005 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: MOSCOW, RUSSIA
  • Country: Russia
  • Reuters ID: LVA2OPROJUFD5END3TNCAJ7RPPXS
  • Story Text: Russia and Georgia report progress in talks about
    Russian troops withdrawal.


    Russia on Monday (April 25) said it could start
    shutting down its military bases as soon as this year if
    the two former Soviet states can reach agreement.

    Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said there had
    been progress in talks with his Georgian counterpart Salome
    Zurabishvili in the Russian capital over the two Soviet-era
    bases which Tbilisi wants closed.

    "We both agree this withdrawal should be stage by stage and
    could start as early as this year if we sign a proper
    agreement," Lavrov told reporters after the talks. He did
    not say how long it would take.

    But Zurabishvili sounded a more cautious note over the
    issue which is plaguing relations between the two
    neighbours, saying she wanted to see the details of the
    Russian plan first.

    "We need an agreement not only about the general principles
    and timeframe, but we also need agreement on all the stages
    and details," Zurabishvili said. "I must see all these
    details worked out before I could come out with
    recommendations for my president," she added.

    Talks on the future of the two bases, inherited by
    Russia after the collapse of the Soviet Union, have stalled
    after Moscow said it needed at least seven years to pull
    out the troops -- longer than Tbilisi was ready to wait.

    Russia keeps up to 3,000 troops at the bases -- one
    near the Caucasus republic's border with Armenia and
    another close to the Turkish border.

    Georgia's new pro-Western leadership, brought to power
    by peaceful revolution in 2003, views the bases' closure as
    a crucial part of efforts to get rid of its colonial past.



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