Russia agrees to close military bases in Georgia

MOSCOW, Tuesday (AFP) Moscow and Tbilisi have completed an agreement on the pullout by the end of 2008 of Russia's last two Soviet-era military bases in Georgia, a deal that could allow the establishment of other foreign bases there.

"The final pullout will be finished during 2008," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said after talks Monday in Moscow with his Georgian counterpart Salome Zurabishvili.

"We have taken an important and constructive step. We have achieved our goal," Zurabishvili told journalists.

The government in Tbilisi is left free to bring in US or other foreign troops, but Zurabishvili said her government had no intention of doing so. The agreement marked a breakthrough after years of rancorous negotiations over the two bases, formerly part of Soviet defences on the southwestern flank with NATO, but more recently a bargaining chip in Moscow's fight to retain influence in the Caucasus. Georgia's President Mikhail Saakashvili hailed the agreement as "historic."

"This is a very important political event, it is a historic moment for our country, as it puts an end to Russia's 200-year military presence in Georgia," Saakashvili said late Monday following the signing of the deal in Moscow.

"We want friendly, neighborly relations, we will never create any problems for Russia." the Georgian leader added.

Under the accord, the approximately 3,000 servicemen on the two bases - one in Akhalkalaki, near the Georgian-Armenian border, the other in Batumi, on the Black Sea coast - are now on 'withdrawal' status.