Zourabichvili Explains Refusal on Binding Commitment not to Station Foreign Forces

Georgian Foreign Minister Salome Zourabichvili said, in an interview with the Russian news agency Interfax published on February 17, that Tbilisi refuses to include a provision banning Tbilisi from stationing a third country?s military bases in Georgia because it would be an expression of ?unequal relations? between Russia and Georgia.

?The issue of military bases belongs to the politics of 20th century; we live in the 21st [century]. Inclusion of this issue in the agreement would have symbolized unequal relations ? similar to those which persisted between Georgia and Russia during Soviet times. We do not want to include this issue in the new framework agreement because [if it is included] it will turn out that Russia, as in Soviet times, still dictates what we should do and how we should behave. We are for new neighborly relations between our countries based on equal rights,? Salome Zourabichvili said.

?I want to remind you once again that Georgia doesn?t want the presence of foreign military bases on its soil. But this is Georgia?s good will and not a position forced by other countries,? she added.