Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07TBILISI1566
2007-06-29 13:23:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Tbilisi
Cable title:
RUSSIA TRANSFERS AKHALKALAKI MILITARY BASE TO
how-toVZCZCXRO9643 PP RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG DE RUEHSI #1566 1801323 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 291323Z JUN 07 FM AMEMBASSY TBILISI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6859 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
UNCLAS TBILISI 001566
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV GG
SUBJECT: RUSSIA TRANSFERS AKHALKALAKI MILITARY BASE TO
GEORGIA
REF: TBILISI 992
UNCLAS TBILISI 001566
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV GG
SUBJECT: RUSSIA TRANSFERS AKHALKALAKI MILITARY BASE TO
GEORGIA
REF: TBILISI 992
1. On June 27 Russia officially handed over its military
base in Akhalkalaki to Georgia, several days ahead of
schedule. Georgian First Deputy Defense Minister Levan
Nikoleishvili and Russian Commander of the Group of Russian
Forces in the Transcaucasus Andrei Popov attended the
handover ceremony and signed the Act of Handover and
Acceptance. The closure and transfer of the base, which was
built by Russia in 1910 and occupied by Russian and Soviet
forces since that time, began in 2006, following a March 31
agreement between Georgia and Russia on the withdrawal of the
remaining Russian forces stationed in Georgia. (Comment:
The Georgian Ministry of Defense has not yet made clear its
plans for the base, though it is unlikely that they will
station troops there. End comment).
2. Russian withdrawal from its base in Batumi, the last
remaining base on Georgian-government controlled territory,
also continues ahead of schedule. On June 28, the seventh
trainload of heavy equipment departed Batumi for Russia. The
remaining six trainloads of heavy equipment will be removed
from Batumi by August 23, 2007. The remaining troops and
equipment will begin withdrawal in the spring of 2008, and
the base will be transferred to Georgia by October 1, 2008.
The status of the Russian base at Gudauta, in the breakaway
republic of Abkhazia, remains an issue, and the Georgian
government has made clear that it will not consider Russia's
obligations under the 1999 Istanbul Commitments fulfilled
until Gudauta's status is resolved (reftel).
TEFFT
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV GG
SUBJECT: RUSSIA TRANSFERS AKHALKALAKI MILITARY BASE TO
GEORGIA
REF: TBILISI 992
1. On June 27 Russia officially handed over its military
base in Akhalkalaki to Georgia, several days ahead of
schedule. Georgian First Deputy Defense Minister Levan
Nikoleishvili and Russian Commander of the Group of Russian
Forces in the Transcaucasus Andrei Popov attended the
handover ceremony and signed the Act of Handover and
Acceptance. The closure and transfer of the base, which was
built by Russia in 1910 and occupied by Russian and Soviet
forces since that time, began in 2006, following a March 31
agreement between Georgia and Russia on the withdrawal of the
remaining Russian forces stationed in Georgia. (Comment:
The Georgian Ministry of Defense has not yet made clear its
plans for the base, though it is unlikely that they will
station troops there. End comment).
2. Russian withdrawal from its base in Batumi, the last
remaining base on Georgian-government controlled territory,
also continues ahead of schedule. On June 28, the seventh
trainload of heavy equipment departed Batumi for Russia. The
remaining six trainloads of heavy equipment will be removed
from Batumi by August 23, 2007. The remaining troops and
equipment will begin withdrawal in the spring of 2008, and
the base will be transferred to Georgia by October 1, 2008.
The status of the Russian base at Gudauta, in the breakaway
republic of Abkhazia, remains an issue, and the Georgian
government has made clear that it will not consider Russia's
obligations under the 1999 Istanbul Commitments fulfilled
until Gudauta's status is resolved (reftel).
TEFFT