JAVAKHETIA RESIDENTS SHOULD NOT TAKE WITHDRAWAL OF RUSSIAN MILITARY BASE AS TRAGEDY

PanARMENIAN.Net - In the course of its today's sitting the Council of Armenian NGOs of Samtskhe-Javakhetia touched upon the issue of withdrawal of the Russian military bases from Akhalkalaki, reported A-Info news agency. The Council arrived at a conclusion that "the Javakhetia population has to take the fact that has taken place with understanding, as the decision over the issue depends on the positions of the Russian and Georgian authorities. Though the military base in Akhalkalaki facilitated the solution of some economic problems and was a guarantee of physical security in the psychological respect, Javakhetia residents should not take the withdrawal of the bases as a tragedy. Even if the Georgian state cannot secure the Javakhetia population, one can rely on the international community and international laws in this issue." It should be reminded that talks over the specification of the time of withdrawal of Russian military bases are close to completion in Tbilisi. Deputy Foreign Minister of Georgia Merab Antadze represents the Georgian party at the talks, while the Russian one is presented by Igor Savolsky, an Ambassador for Special Commissions. The Russian party plans to withdraw the bases within 2008, while the Georgian party - before January 1, 2008.