Russia, Georgia Resume Talks over Military Bases, but No Breakthrough Anticipated

Besides Batumi and Akhalkalaki, Russia has its troops deployed in breakaway Abkhazia and South Ossetia as peacekeepers.

On June 23 officials from Georgia and Russia met in Moscow to resume talks over Russia’s two military bases still operating in Georgia. The presence of Russian troops in Batumi and Akhalkalaki has become one of the major hang-ups in the countries’ bilateral relations since Russia agreed to the pullout of its bases under the provisions set forth in the 1999 OSCE Istanbul summit treaty.

In a statement issued on June 22, the Georgian Foreign Ministry welcomed the resumption of these talks, adding, however, that this ninth round of talks, which have been delayed for more than two years, “bears an introductory character” after the appointment of the new heads of delegations resulting from a reshuffling within both the Russian and Georgian governments.

These reshuffling maneuvers by both sides, leads analysts to suggest that no significant breakthrough is anticipated during this ninth round of talks.

Deputy Foreign Minister Merab Antadze will lead the Georgian delegation during the two-day long talks in Moscow.

“This meeting, which bears an introductory character, aims at outlining the ways of solving the problem of the Russian Federation’s military bases within the territory of Georgia. The date for conducting the next round of bilateral talks, which the Georgian side suggests should be held in Tbilisi, will be in the nearest future,” a statement released by the Georgian Foreign Ministry reads.

Russia, on June 10, appointed an Ambassador, Igor Savolsky, as the head of Russia’s delegation who will negotiate with Georgia over these military issues. Previously, the Russian delegation was chaired by Ilya Klebanov who was the Deputy Prime Minister of Russia.

Igor Savolsky said in an interview with the Russian news agency Interfax, published on the Russia Foreign Ministry’s official web-site on June 23, that the two sides should agree on an “acceptable duration of presence [of the Russian military bases in Georgia] and working towards dignifying these bases.”

“We do not intend to drag-out the duration of their [the bases] presence in Georgia; however, while defining the terms of withdrawal, the necessity of creating the infrastructure of these bases in the territory of Russia should be taken into account. But while they remain in Georgia, it is necessary to define their [military bases’] legal status. The absence of a relevant bilateral agreement is abnormal,” Ambassador Igor Savolsky said.

Some political analysts think that the Russia’s intentions to push the issue of legal status of Russian bases in Georgia, “is a bad omen” for Tbilisi.

Vladimir Socor, a senior analyst with the Washington-based Jamestown Foundation specializing in the CIS affairs, says in an article published on Jamestown Foundation web-site, that Moscow employs “delaying tactics” in the process of negotiations in order to retain its military bases in Georgia.

It is also noteworthy that Ambassador Igor Savolsky is simultaneously in charge of negotiating with Georgia over the framework of an agreement between the two countries, which will supposedly outline the relations between Georgia and Russia in every aspect, including security and military issues. 

“The envoy’s [Igor Savolsky’s] combined mandate – to negotiate the issue of military bases and a political interstate treaty in the same set of negotiations – is a bad omen. First, this amalgamation is designed to politicize the abandonment of military bases, what should continue to be addressed as a technical-military issue,” Vladimir Socor says.
It seems that military and security issues remain a main obstacle in finalizing the framework agreement, which is expected to be signed in autumn, according to an agreement reached by President Saakashvili with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Moscow in February.

“Most of the provisions for this agreement have already been agreed upon [by Russia and Georgia]. However, certain disagreements still persist, which mainly concern security issues,” Ambassador Igor Savolsky told the Interfax news agency.

In an interview with Civil Georgia on June 15, Georgian Foreign Minister Salome Zourabichvili explained that one disagreement that persists stems from Russia’s demand to include a provision in the agreement which will ban Georgia from accepting any foreign country’s military base on its soil.

“We are against the inclusion of these kinds of provisions in the agreement, which should be signed by two states with equal rights. There are other forms of declaring this [that Tbilisi will not allow other country’s military bases on its soil]. Georgia will discuss this at the international level and I think the problem will be solved,” Salome Zourabichvili told Civil Georgia.

Political analyst Vladimir Socor says that Russia’s attempts to implement “restrictions on Georgia’s freedom to decide on foreign policy and security arrangements” would further “complicate and prolong” the process of negotiations over the military bases.

Georgia, in its demands to disband Russian military bases in the shortest period of time, insisting on three years in response to Russia’s request for nine, is strongly backed by its western allies, particularly by the United States. Western financial assistance may prove very crucial in this regard.

Moscow initially insisted that USD 500 million was needed to relocate its bases from Georgia to Russia, an amount vehemently denounced by the Georgian authorities as “unrealistic.” However, on the eve of these new Moscow talks on June 22, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Ivanov said that redeployment of bases in Russia will cost USD 300 million.

Tbilisi, in an attempt to create a breakthrough in stalled negotiations, has recently proposed to Moscow the setting up of a joint, anti-terrorism center in Georgia in exchange for the withdrawal of these base.

“This center will help Russia to launch new relations with Georgia. The center, which will be in charge of anti-terrorism training and the exchange of information between Tbilisi and Moscow, will be set up on a parity basis. But, many details are still to be considered,” Salome Zourabichvili, the founder of this proposal, told Civil Georgia on June 15.

Russia, however, seems to be downplaying the proposal. The Russian Defense Minister, Sergei Ivanov, said on June 22 that the setting up of a joint, anti-terrorism center could not be linked to the determination of the terms of the bases’ pull out.

“Formation of the anti-terrorist center is an idea, nothing more. This is not, and cannot be, connected with the determination of the terms of withdrawal. I have numerously repeated that until we establish two new bases within Russian territory [for soldiers pulled out from Georgia], we cannot withdraw the bases from Georgia,” the Russian Defense Minister said.

It is anticipated that the issue of Russia’s military bases will be pushed once again at the international level during the upcoming NATO Summit, scheduled for June 28-29 in Istanbul.

“The United States will express its support once again for Georgia [over the issue of withdrawal of Russian bases] at the forthcoming NATO Istanbul Summit,” Georgian Foreign Minister Salome Zourabichvili told Civil Georgia.