Translated material
Two hundred years later
Georgia celebrates the birth of new relations with Russia
Yesterday, Tbilisi newspapers came out with solemn headlines like “Historic Event” and “Russian Military Leave!” The new Georgian authorities achieved what they wanted. After signing an agreement with Russia in Moscow on Monday on the withdrawal of military bases from Batumi and Akhalkalaki, the Russian military must finally leave Georgia in 2008 - that is, the year of parliamentary elections. And by the 2009 presidential elections the troops will definitely leave.Georgia is celebrating the beginning of a new political era. As Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili said in a special address, Moscow and Tbilisi now have the opportunity to “establish much more constructive relations and forget previous grievances.” At the same time, according to the president: “Georgia will take into account the geostrategic interests of Russia, which come into line with our interests.”
Chairman of the Georgian Parliament Nino Burjanadze said that now relations between the two countries “will develop within a good-neighborly framework.” Deputy Speaker of Parliament Mikhail Machavariani said that “Russia has made an application to build relations with Georgia of a new type.” The parliamentary resolution of March 10 on the de facto blockade of the Russian military at bases has been suspended. But representatives of the opposition suggest not to fall into euphoria. New Right MP Pikria Chikhradze called on the authorities to “make every effort to prevent the bases from being replaced by a much more dangerous structure - an anti-terrorist center.” The opposition believes that in this way Russia will maintain its military presence in Georgia. However, a separate agreement has yet to be signed to create such a center.
“The Russian military presence in Georgia, which has lasted 200 years, will end in three years,” said Georgian Defense Minister Irakli Okruashvili. The Russian military appeared in Georgia in September 1801, when Emperor Alexander I issued a manifesto on the annexation of Georgia to Russia. In Tiflis it was made public only seven months later. At the same time, the Zion Cathedral, where the manifesto was announced, according to Georgian historians, was surrounded by troops ready to suppress attempts at protest.
The Russian military presence in Georgia will begin to noticeably decrease in the coming days. By June 15, Russia will transfer the Tbilisi armored tank repair plant to Georgia. In addition, as Vladimir Kuparadze, deputy commander of the Group of Russian Forces in Transcaucasia, told Vremya Novostey, plans are underway to transfer unused facilities of the 12th Russian military base in Adjara to the Georgian Ministry of Defense.
The situation is more complicated with the 62nd Akhalkalaki base, where many local residents serve. Armenians live compactly in this Georgian region. “We are ready to take these people into our armed forces or offer them other jobs at their discretion. In addition, we are starting serious economic projects to rehabilitate the region,” said Mikheil Saakashvili. As Norik Karapetyan, the head of the Javakh people's movement, told VN, “so far in Akhalkalaki there is little faith in these promises.” “The decision to withdraw the base was made without taking into account the opinion of the population of our region,” he said. On June 8, a meeting of the Javakh presidium will take place, after which consultations will be held with other regional movements to develop a strategy for further action.