Deputy Chief of the Russian General Staff Alexander Skvortsov said the situation around Russian military bases is very tangled.
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Duma OKs Russia’s Pull-Out from Georgia
The Russian State Duma has ratified agreements with Georgia on the transit of military cargoes and personnel via Georgia and the timetable of the Russian military bases withdrawal from Georgia. Duma deputies have used this scheduled ratification to make a good demonstration of their patriotic feelings.
Deputy Chief of the Russian General Staff Alexander Skvortsov explained to the Russian parliament on Friday that the situation around Russian military bases is very tangled. Air transit via Georgia was suspended last year, leaving bases in Georgia and Armenia cut off from Russia. The Russian Defense and Foreign Ministries have been in talks with Georgia over the issue, which has lead to two documents that the Duma ratified on Friday.
An agreement to pull out Russian military bases from Georgia was signed this March. Russian military are to leave the Georgian territory before the end of 2008.
Discussion of the ratified documents was full of political speeches, reflecting the current crisis with Georgia. Albert Makashov of the Russian Communist Party, for instance, was wondering why Russia had not cut off electricity and gas supplies to Georgia.
Chief Commander of Land Forces Alexey Maslov presented the withdrawal agreement. He lambasted Georgian authorities calling them unpredictable and hostile.
The Communists declined to vote for the troops pull-out claiming that Russia’s withdrawal will open the way for NATO forces. However, Deputy Speaker of the Duma Vladimir Zhironovkiy is anticipating NATO troops in the region:
“The NATO is now everywhere – so what? Is there order in Afghanistan? No. Is there any in Iraq? No. In Lebanon? No. NATO will be dropping bombs on Iran from Georgia. Iran will respond – and there will be no Georgia!”
www.kommersant.com
All the Article in Russian as of Oct. 07, 2006
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