Georgia Says Russia Not Ready for Compromise on Military Bases

The Georgian Foreign Ministry issued a statement on April 18, in which it blamed Russia for the failure to reach an agreement over the pullout of the Russian military bases from Georgia during talks held in Tbilisi on April 14-15.
 
?The key issues discussed at the talks were the withdrawal of the Russian military bases from Akhalkalaki and Batumi, as well as the closure of the Gudauta military base [located in breakaway Abkhazia]? The Russian side was not ready to make a compromised decision [over bases? pullout]. Along with the issue of a timeframe for the bases? withdrawal, disagreement persists over the number of additional [unspecified] pre-conditions, which have been put forward by the Russian side and which are not linked to the process of withdrawal of the bases,? the Georgian Foreign Ministry stated.

According to the Georgian Foreign Ministry the issue will be further discussed during Georgian Foreign Minister Salome Zourabichvili?s visit to Moscow, which is expected to occur in late April.

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