NATO Envoy Speaks of Russian Bases in Georgia

In an interview with the Russian Echo Moskvy radio station published on December 14, NATO Secretary General?s Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia Robert Simmons said that NATO can partially finance the process of the pullout of Russian military bases from Georgia.

According to a joint declaration signed by the Russian and Georgian Foreign Ministers on May 30,  Russia should remove its bases in the course of 2008.

?Since the agreement on withdrawal of Russian troops from Georgia already exists, we can cover a part of the withdrawal expenses. But we mean funding of those expenses which have already been agreed between Russia and Georgia,? Robert Simmons said on December 14.

The NATO envoy also noted that Georgia is the only country in the Caucasus which officially expressed a willingness to join NATO.

?This will take some time, but it is up to the country whether to join NATO or not, whether to establish close relations with the alliance or not. We are not doing it to the prejudice of good relations with Russia,? Robert Simmons said.

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