Russian, Georgian Foreign Ministers to Discuss Exact Timeframe of Pullout

Russian chief negotiator over pull out of military bases Igor Savolsky told reporters after two-day talks in Tbilisi on May 24 that no final agreement over the final date for the closure of Russian bases sationed in the country has been reached yet, but added that the sides were able to significantly move their positions closer.

?There is no serious problem in this respect [the final date of bases? closure]. But I can not say now that an agreement over the timeframe has been reached. But I do not want to speak about those dates which are the subject of controversy,? Igor Savolsky told reporters.

Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister Merab Antadze, who leads the Georgian side at talks, also confirmed that there is no ?big difference? between the sides over the final date of the bases? withdrawal.

Both officials said that the issue of an exact timeframe will be discussed during a meeting between the Georgian and Russian Foreign Ministers. No date for this meeting has been reported yet.

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