Russia's last convoy pulls out of military base in Georgia

By Staff
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Google Oneindia News

Moscow, Nov 15 (UNI) Russia has completed the pullout of military personnel and equipment from a Soviet-era base in Batumi, in Georgia, an aide to the chief of the Russian Ground Forces Col Igor Konashenkov said today.

The last train containing Russian servicemen and military equipment left the base in southern Georgia for Armenia, at 0110 hrs local time today (0240 hrs IST yesterday) ''The train is en route to the 102nd military base in the town of Gyumri in Armenia,'' Konashenkov said, adding it would reach its destination by tonight.

The Batumi base commander, the commander of Russia's contingent in the South Caucasus, as well as 150 servicemen and their families are on the train, which is also carrying some 200 metric tons of equipment.

The Batumi pullout means that no Russian troops remain in the former Soviet republic of Georgia except for peacekeepers in the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, RIA Novosti news agency quoted General Alexei Maslov, the Ground Forces commander.

Under an agreement between the former Soviet republics, Russia was to complete the closure of its base in Batumi by the end of 2008.

Last December, Russia completed the pullout of its military garrison from Tbilisi, handing over control of its headquarters to Georgia's Defence Ministry and formally handed over its military base at Akhalkalaki in southern Georgia to Tbilisi in June, ahead of the October 2007 deadline.

Georgia has sought to join NATO and other European organizations since pro-West President Mikheil Saakashvili came to power on the back of street protests in 2003.

However, similar opposition demonstrations against Saakashvili last week led to the announcement of early presidential elections, scheduled for January 5.

Saakashvili has blamed Russia for tension in the country, expelling three Russian diplomats on November 8.

UNI

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