Russia will consider speeding up removing its two remaining army bases in Georgia if Tbilisi finds funds to finance the process, Moscow military officials told Georgiaâs foreign minister Thursday. A deputy head of Russiaâs Joint Chiefs of Staff told this to Georgiaâs Foreign Minister Tedo Japaridze during a meeting on Thursday in Moscow, the news agency quoted an unnamed official at the defence ministry as saying. Russia has two army bases remaining in the former Soviet republic in the Caucasus that it has agreed under an international agreement to withdraw. Georgia wants the bases withdrawn within three years; the Russians say the withdrawal will take up to 10 years. âThe Russian side once again firmly said that Georgiaâs suggestion of three years (for withdrawal) is unrealistic,â the official told ITAR-TASS.
| It's only been a dozen years now, hasn't it? |
But Moscow will consider speeding up the process if Georgia finds a foreign sponsor to fund the withdrawal itself and the resettling of the removed soldiers and equipment in Russia proper, the official said.
| I just felt a twinge in my wallet. I'm not sure why... |
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