Saakashvili Hopes to Agree on Military Bases with Russia

Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili told reporters on March 8 that he hopes Tbilisi and Moscow will agree over the timeframes of withdrawal of Russian military bases in the next six weeks. His statement came after he was asked to comment regarding the Georgian Parliament’s intention to endorse a draft resolution envisaging an announcement the Russian military bases stationed in Georgia illegal on March 9.

?Our position is clear ? the Russian bases should be pulled out from Georgia. Georgia is a sovereign state and nobody has the right to have its bases on our territory,? Saakashvili said.
 
?On the other hand, a month and a half is left to agree over the Russian military bases; the Georgian and Russian sides will probably reach an agreement during this period. I am optimistic,? Saakashvili added.

While speaking about this period of a month and a half, President Saakashvili referred to an agreement reached by Tbilisi and Moscow during a visit by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Tbilisi on February 18.

During his visit Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his Georgian counterpart Salome Zourabichvili agreed to intensify talks over the military bases and outline concrete proposals over the timeframe and terms of pullout within two months, particularly before May 9, when President Saakashvili plans to visit Moscow.