Press Leak: Russian MFA on “Countering Anti-Russian Line of the Georgian Authorities”
Russian web-site Grani.ru has published an explanatory note signed by the Acting Director of the Second European Department of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs V. Tatarintsev. The note is an official response to the Parliamentary query by the Russia’s Duma – lower chamber of the parliament and covers questions related to Georgia and the Baltic States. Below we publish an unofficial translation of the part related to Georgia.
“On Countering Anti-Russian Line of the Georgian Authorities”:
MFA of Russian in cooperation with other executive agencies conducts intensive, at times extremely tense discussion with the Georgian side regarding the wide spectrum of the bilateral relations (withdrawal of the Russian military bases, delimitation of the Russo-Georgian state border, defending of the rights of compatriots, etc.). MFA also participates in various mechanisms of conflict settlement on the territory of Georgia.
The position of the Georgian side is frequently of an ultimatum character, unacceptable for the Russian side. In an attempt to reach their goals Georgians use specific provocative actions, as well as hostile public assaults with threats towards Russia. This line was clearly expressed in solving the problem of withdrawal of the Russian Military Bases (RMB) from Georgia. Against the backgdrop of continuous provocative actions of the Georgian authorities towards the Russian servicemen (unfounded detention, refusals to grant visas, restriction of movement), on March 10 (current year) the Parliament of Georgia accepted a resolution on military bases stationed in Georgia. In essence, this document foresees proclaiming of the Russian bases “outlawed”.
Attempts of the Georgian side to exert pressure on us and to complicate normal functioning of the RMB and presence of the Russian servicemen in Georgia are decisively repelled from our side. Corresponding statements of the MFA of Russia and the Russian Embassy in Georgia are complemented by specific actions. For instance, in 2004-2005 the Embassy of Russia to Georgia has restricted issuing of the Russian visas to the Georgian citizens. In cooperation with the MFA of Russia the State Duma [lower chamber of the paliament] has addressed on May 13 the President of the Russian Federation and the Government of Russia where it offered to take responsive measures towards Georgia if its autorities would move towards “unilateral decisions with regards to the Russian military bases”. This address has significally cooled the hot heads in Tbilisi.
MFA of Russia continues intensive negotiations on main problems of Russo-Georgian relations in accordance with the instructions of the President of the Russian Federation. On May 30 of the current year at the level of the Ministers of Foreign Afairs a Joint Declaration was signed. Notwithstanding rigid demands of Tbilisi on withdrawal of the RMB as soon as possible, MFA of Russia managed to fix the dates of withdrawal that correspond to our real possibilities.
The mere fact of signing the Declaration has quelled the fire of the Georgian authorities – statements were made in Tbilisi on suspention of the above-mentioned decision by the Parliament of Georgia.”
