Russian Press on Talks over Military Bases

Alongside President Putin?s state of the nation address, the Russian media on April 26 has been extensively covering talks between Georgian and Russian Foreign Ministers Salome Zourabichvili and Sergey Lavrov in Moscow, which resulted in a hand-shake agreement on Monday that states that two Russian military bases will be withdrawn from Georgia by the end of 2007.

In its article ?Lavrov Gave Up? the daily Nezavisimaya Gazeta describes the outcome of talks as ?sensational? and quotes Russian Foreign Minister by saying that: ?Lavrov said that Russia can start withdrawal of bases in 2005.?

The Nezavisimaya Gazeta also focuses on the regional context of the outcome of these talks. ?It is notable that yesterday Defense Minister of Ukraine Anatoly Gritsenko arrived in Moscow as well. Taking into account the fact that Gritsenko is also going to discuss the issue of Russia’s military presence [navy] in [Ukraine?s] Sevastopol, it is anticipated that Lavrov?s surprising consent [to the Georgian side] might have such a continuation: Tbilisi?s success in solving problems related to [Russian] bases can significantly influence Ukraine?s position as well,? the Nezavisimaya Gazeta says.

In its front-page article ?We Leave? the daily Izvestia notes that Georgia intended to declare the Russian bases illegal in the event that the talks failed, referring to the Georgian Parliament?s resolution, which set May 15 as a deadline for reaching an agreement on a ?reasonable? timeframe of withdrawal.

?The Georgians intended to restrict the movement of Russian militaries on the Georgian territory [according to the Georgian Parliament?s resolution]. Georgia also intended to ban the military trainings of the Russian militaries. And suddenly a miracle happened ? Moscow has given up. Without a fight. Quietly,? Izvestia says.

According to the daily Kommersant, Moscow tried to reach an agreement before an anticipated visit by Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili to Moscow on May 9. ?And for this reason [Moscow] even agreed to make considerable compromises,? the newspaper says.

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