Lavrov Quotes “Progress” in Talks, Zourabichvili Cautious

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that ?significant progress? has been made over timeframe of withdrawal of Russian military bases from Georgia during the talks with Georgian Foreign Minister Salome Zourabichvili on Monday in Moscow, Interfax and RIA Novosti news agencies reported.

?The withdrawal will be carried out gradually and if an agreement is reached, it may start this year,? Sergey Lavrov said at a news conference after talks with Salome Zourabichvili.

?We have reached a maximum achievable progress in our relations and in the nearest future Russian military bases will be withdrawn from Georgia,? RIA Novosti quotes Lavrov as saying.

Zourabichvili expressed her cautious optimism, adding that ?the devil is in the detail.? She said, the experts would be given one week to work over the details and after Easter (1 May) the ministers would ?evaluate the agreements reached.? 

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