Russia Continues to Relinquish Control of Military Facilities in Georgia

The Russian side has already begun handing over military facilities, formerly used by Russian Troops in the Trans Caucasus, to Georgia, as envisaged by an agreement reached by the Russian and Georgian Foreign Ministers in May.

According to the agreement, before September 1 the Russian side should relinquish control of military facilities which are not being used by Russian Troops in the Trans Caucasus, including a firing ground in Gonio, Adjara Autonomous Republic.

According to Vakhtang Meladze of the Defense Ministry, a group of Georgian and Russian experts are currently conducting an inventory of assets of the Gonio firing ground in an attempt to prepare it for a handover to the Georgian side.

Russia has already handed-over the 142nd Armor Tank Repair Factory to the Georgian side.

The sides also fulfilled the part of the agreement which envisaged the withdrawal of at least 40 armored vehicles, including no less than 20 tanks, from the bases in Batumi and Akhalkalaki by September 1, 2005. The entire withdrawal process should be finished by 2008.

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