Moscow Slightly Softens Position over Military Bases

Deputy Head of Russian chief of staff of the armed forces Yuri Baluyevsky said on February 2, that Russia could withdraw its two military bases from Georgia within “seven, or nine years,” however added that Georgia’s demand to close down the bases in three years “is unreal.”

“It’s possible that the process can be accomplished in seven to nine years. This will depend on when we will start building an infrastructure for the troops withdrawn from Georgia,” the Russian defense official told Interfax news agency.

Russia initially demanded 10-11 years for withdrawal from the military bases in Batumi, capital of Adjara Autonomous Republic and Akhalkalaki in eastern Georgia.

The United States has already called on Russia for following its commitment undertaken at the 1999 OSCE Istanbul summit.