There are two Russian military bases in Georgia now: in Akhalkalaki (near the border with Turkey and Armenia) and outside Batumi, the capital of the Adzharian autonomy. Moscow argues that pulling these two bases out in a "civilized manner" will take at least ten years.
According to Kemularia, the Georgian government is now considering ways to create normal living and service conditions for the outgoing Russian troops.
Officials of Russia, Georgia, and Abkhazia (a breakaway region in Georgia) will hold three-party consultations on the prospective withdrawal of the military bases as they gather in Moscow on April 26, the Ambassador announced. Deputy Foreign Minister Mirab Antadze will be attending for Georgia; and Foreign Minister Sergei Shamba, for Abkhazia.
"The revival of the relations between our countries will lead to a higher degree of trust," emphasized Kemularia.
Speaking of Adzharia, the ambassador said that Tbilisi could see no legal or political grounds for applying the Treaty of Kars vis-a-vis the autonomy. "The Russian Foreign Ministry has stated that the problem of Adzharia is a domestic affair of Georgia's and that Russia is not a guarantor of Adzharia's security," Kemularia said. In his words, it would be absurd to implement the Kars Treaty's articles that envisage the possibility of Turkey carrying out duty-free trade operations in the Adzharian capital of Batumi.
"Likewise, Article 7 of the Treaty stipulates that if Adzharia's autonomy is abolished, Turkey may send in troops. This does not seem realistic today, either," the ambassador said.
It will be remembered that under the Kars Treaty, signed in 1921, Russia and Turkey shall act as guarantors of Adzharia's sovereignty within Georgia.
