Okruashvili: Tbilisi is ‘Liberal’ over Bases for Now

Georgian Defense Minister Irakli Okruashvili said that the Georgian authorities have enough levers to use in speeding up the pullout process of Russia’s military bases from Akhalkalaki and Batumi but prefers to remain “liberal” before the negotiations are over.

“Along with financial sanctions, we can enforce more effective levers,” the Defense Minister told reporters on May 15, however added that “we will be as liberal as possible, as to avoid further deterioration of relations and conclude the process [of talks] with an agreement [between Russia and Georgia].”

This issue of Russian military bases still stationed in Georgia will apparently be discussed between Georgian Foreign Minister Salome Zourabichvili and her Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of a Council of Europe summit on May 16-17 in Warsaw.

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