RUSSIA: Georgian breakaway state Abkhazia calls for Russian troops to stay on in bases across its territory

Record ID: 644344

  • Title: RUSSIA: Georgian breakaway state Abkhazia calls for Russian troops to stay on in bases across its territory
  • Date: 6th September 2008
  • Summary: (BN09) MOSCOW, RUSSIA (SEPTEMBER 6, 2008) (REUTERS) PRESIDENT OF BREAKAWAY ABKHAZIA SERGEI BAGAPSH ENTERS NEWS CONFERENCE AND TAKES SEAT MEDIA AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) PRESIDENT OF BREAKAWAY ABKHAZIA SERGEI BAGAPSH, SAYING: "We are insisting, we are asking Russia, to leave Russian troops and deploy them. This will be in Gudauti, Ochamchir, in front of the 'buffer zone'. As far as the Abkhazian borders are concerned, we will man these with Abkhazian border guards who will control all our territory. It will be the same with our marine borders, we will ask Russia to keep a certain number of navy ships in our Abkhazian territorial waters." MEDIA AT NEWS CONFERENCE
  • Embargoed: 21st September 2008 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVA9R4U23OI6NDK6NFQ1HP5SXZ4E
  • Story Text: The president of the Georgian breakaway state of Abkhazia on Saturday (September 6) called for Russian troops to stay on in bases across its territory.
    Speaking to reporters in Moscow, Sergei Bagapsh called for Russian troops to stay on and deploy throughout Abkhazia, including its territorial waters.
    We are insisting, we are asking Russia, to leave Russian troops and deploy them. This will be in Gudauti, Ochamchir, in front of the 'buffer zone'," said Bagapsh.

    "As far as the Abkhazian borders are concerned, we will man these with Abkhazian border guards who will control all our territory. It will be the same with our marine borders, we will ask Russia to keep a certain number of navy ships in our Abkhazian territorial waters," he added.
    Russia fought a short war last month with Georgia over the breakaway enclave of South Ossetia.
    Moscow angered the West by recognizing the "independence" of South Ossetia the other pro-Russian separatist enclave in Georgia - and Abkhazia.
    Russia has left troops in Georgia despite the internationally negotiated ceasefire requiring them to pull back to positions held before the conflict started.
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