Georgia hopes for compromise with Russia on troop withdrawal
PLA Daily 2004-01-15
MOSCOW, Jan. 14 (Xinhuanet) -- Georgian Foreign Minister Tedo Japaridze said Wednesday that Tbilisi hopes to reach a compromise with Moscow on the pullout of Russian troops from Georgia, Interfax news agency reported.
"We hope to reach a compromise on the time for withdrawing the Russian military bases from Georgia that would meet our interests and be acceptable for Russia," said Japaridze, adding that Tbilisi understands Moscow's reluctance to immediately withdraw its military bases.
Japaridze was commenting on a statement made by Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov earlier Wednesday that Russia finds it unacceptable to immediately withdraw its bases from Georgia as it did from Germany.
Japaridze said that the negotiations on withdrawing Russian bases would be long and very difficult since each side has its stance over the issue.
He said the talks are underway and "I hope both sides will demonstrate their readiness for a constructive dialogue."
Russia has removed two of its four military bases deployed in Georgia, but the two neighbors remain far apart on when the other two bases should be pulled out. Georgia wants them out within three years, while Russia insists that the complete removal of all troops would take some 11 years.
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