Russia Left Gudauta Base – Russian Militaries State
The last railway wagons loaded with the Russian military equipment left Gudauta base today, news agency Prime News reports, quoting representative of the Russian Peacekeeping forces deployed in the Georgian-Abkhazian conflict zone.
Georgian defense Minister Davit Tevzadze stated this evening that he has no information regarding the news. “If the information confirms I can only welcome Russia’s decision about withdrawal of their forces from Gudauta”, announced Davit Tevzadze.
According to the agreement of the 1999 OSCE Istanbul summit, Russia was to withdraw its military base form Gudauta in breakaway Republic of Abkhazia by July 1, 2001. Abkhazians were against of the Russian forces’ withdrawal form the strategically important Gudauta military base.