Russia Hopes for Breakthrough over Military Bases in Georgia

Speaking in Brussels on April 2 Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov expressed hopes that progress will be achieved soon over the issue of withdrawal of Russian military bases from Georgia.  
 
Sergei Lavrov said this issue was hampered due to the position of the previous authorities of Georgia.
 
“With coming of the new leadership of Georgia, definite developments have already been observed. I think you will soon witness the progress in this regard,” the Russian Foreign Minister said. 
 
Earlier Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov stressed that the bases will be withdrawn from Georgia as soon as the necessary facilities for redeployment are created in Russia.

According to the OSCE Istanbul summit treaty in 1999 Russia agreed to pull out its troops from Batumi and Akhalkalaki military bases.