Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Nogaideli said, on March 8, that the two Russian military bases stationed in Georgia should be pulled out ?in the shortest period of time [possible].?
?We [the authorities] were ready to reach an agreement with the Russian side, however, the timeframe for the pullout, proposed by Russia, was unacceptable for us,? Nogaideli said at a news briefing.
On March 9 the Georgian Parliament plans to discuss a draft resolution, envisaging an announcement that will declare the Russian military bases stationed in Georgia illegal. The draft resolution sets January 1, 2006 as the deadline for the pullout of 3,000 Russian soldiers and the closure of the bases in Batumi, in the Adjara Autonomous Republic, and Akhalkalaki, in the south-western part of Georgia.