- Title: RUSSIA: RUSSIAN TROOPS ARE TO LEAVE NEIGHBOURING GEORGIA IN 2008
- Date: 31st May 2005
- Summary: (BN11) MOSCOW, RUSSIA (MAY 30, 2005) (REUTERS) 1. SLV RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER SERGEI LAVROV AND GEORGIAN FOREIGN MINISTER SALOME ZURABISHVILI ENTERING THE MEETING ROOM 2. CAMERA CREWS IN MEETING ROOM 3. VARIOUS OF LAVROV SPEAKING AT START OF TALKS 4. ZURABISHVILI ADDRESSING THE RUSSIAN DELEGATION 5. MEETING IN PROGRESS 6. CAMERA CREWS 7. LAVROV AND ZURABISHVILI WALKING OUT FOR NEWS CONFERENCE 8. (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER SERGEI LAVROV, SAYING: "The final withdrawal will be completed in 2008. A joint communique covering main stages of the phased withdrawal, either withdrawal of heavy weapon and equipment or military personnel and other military property. As well, the communique covered the handing over to Georgia of the other military property which is not part of the Akhalkalaki base and the base near the Black Sea port of Batumi." 9. LAVROV AND ZURABISHVILI STANDING TOGETHER 10. REPORTERS TAKING NOTES 11. (SOUNDBITE) (Georgian) GEORGIAN FOREIGN MINISTER SALOME ZURABISHVILI SAYING, "I believe we achieved a very constructive and important step today. So we reached the goal we were working for." 12. CAMERA CREWS 13. LAVROV AND ZURABISHVILI LEAVING 2.03 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 15th June 2005 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: MOSCOW, RUSSIA
- Country: Russia
- Reuters ID: LVA3XJ8BE37VOL58FGLEDV93KRBD
- Story Text: Russian troops to leave Georgia in 2008.
Russia on Monday (May 30, 2005) announced a breakthrough
deal with neighbouring Georgia, promising to pull out the
last of its troops from the state.
The deal follows months of talks between Moscow and
Tbilisi, whose new pro-Western government compares the
presence of Russian troops at the two bases near the border
with NATO member Turkey to an "occupation".
"The final withdrawal will be completed in 2008,"
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said after talks in
Moscow with Georgian counterpart Salome Zurabishvili on the
most painful issue in relations between two ex-Soviet
states.
Lavrov said he and Zurabishvili signed a joint
communique, which included the main stages of the
withdrawal, something the Georgian side wanted to see
before striking a final deal.
"We reached the goal which we were aiming for,"
Zurabishvili said.
The issue of bases is one of several to have strained
relations between Russia and its small southern neighbour
since Georgia gained independence from the Soviet Union in
1991.
Georgia has accused Moscow of backing separatist
leaderships in two of its provinces. Russia has, in the
past, accused Georgia of allowing Chechen guerrillas to
operate from its border territory.
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