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The Messenger, Georgia
March 10 2005
Speaker shuns, Parliament discusses
Senior officials distance themselves from resolution on Russian
bases, which is attacked by Russia and by Georgian citizens dependent
on bases for employment
By Anna Arzanova
Parliament on Wednesday discussed a resolution declaring that Russian
military bases must be withdrawn from Georgian territory by January
1, 2006, despite the efforts of the speaker of parliament to postpone
the debate, and comments by senior government figures distancing
themselves from the resolution.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Salome Zourabichvili stressed on
Wednesday that the resolution is not the responsibility of either her
or the ministry she heads.
"I cannot be either an opponent or supporter of this resolution. I am
just a minister and do not think I should be asked about this issue,"
she said.
Prime Minister Zurab Noghaideli also stressed that the executive
branch of government had not been consulted regarding the drafting of
the resolution. According to Black Sea Press, he refused to comment
on the resolution, saying that the government remained in
negotiations with Russia, and hoped to resolve the issue through
reaching an agreement with Moscow.
Burjanadze tries to postpone discussion of resolution
Speaker of Parliament Nino Burjanadze on Tuesday sought to postpone
discussion of the resolution declaring the Russian bases illegal,
saying now was not the right time to discuss it, and furthermore,
that neither she nor President Saakashvili had been notified of the
plan to discuss the resolution.
The decision to discuss the resolution was made during Monday's
parliamentary bureau meeting, which Burjanadze did not attend because
she was in Germany.
"This issue was not agreed with everybody and as far as I know even
Saakashvili asked whether or not this issue had been agreed with the
leadership. Including this issue on the agenda was unexpected for
me," she said, adding that she thinks this issue should be discussed
at committee level and not by Parliament.
"We have agreed on a two-month negotiation period and these two
months should first expire, after which Parliament as well as the
executive government will take very radical measures and decisions,"
she stressed, explaining that she believes adopting such a resolution
now would impede Georgian-Russian negotiations on the issue.
Burjanadze was overruled by MPs, however, and discussion of the
resolution went ahead as planned. One of the authors of the
resolution MP Giga Bokeria stated that, "This issue is included on
the agenda. I think that this process should take place as soon as
possible."
The opposition agreed that the resolution, which they support, should
be discussed. They expressed surprise at Burjanadze's intervention,
Conservative Party leader Zviad Dzidziguri saying, "the bureau put
this issue on the agenda and decided to discuss it on March 9. If
this issue was put on the agenda by the bureau it means it should be
discussed. I think that this issue needs to be voted on."
Chair of the parliamentary committee for foreign affairs Kote
Gabashvili agreed that Parliament should discuss the resolution,
saying that if the executive government wishes to stop Parliament
from discussing the resolution it should present opposing arguments.
"I categorically demand this issue to be left in the agenda, because
this is necessary for Georgia. Our slavery must come to an end," he
said at the parliament session.
Resolution irritates Russia
Gabashvili summed up the opinion of the majority of MPs by saying
that he supported the resolution, but admitted it would probably
aggravate Georgian-Russian relations.
"Russia will react harshly to the resolution," he said. "But I think
that this issue will be settled step by step. These bases should be
withdrawn all the same."
Expressing support for the resolution, MP Davit Tkeshelashvili stated
that a concrete moment comes in the history of all countries when
certain measures should be taken. "Georgia should express its sole
will regarding Georgia to be released from Russian bases," he said.
MPs were right to say that Russia would react harshly to the
resolution. Russian news agency Interfax reports Russian Ministry of
Defense spokesman Colonel Viacheslav Sedov as saying that the
language of ultimatums, blackmail and pressure is unacceptable
regarding the withdrawal of Russian military bases from Georgia.
"The bilateral commission, which regularly holds sessions in Tbilisi
and Moscow, was set up to solve the issue of the bases' withdrawal,"
Sedov said, adding that Russia cannot withdraw their bases to an
empty field, as once happened in Russian when bases were withdrawn
from Germany. He thinks that it is necessary to first create the
infrastructure in Russia for the withdrawal of these bases.
Locals worry of impact on economy
The resolution was also criticized by ethnic Armenians living near to
the Russian base in Akhalkalaki, who rely on the base for employment.
"It is impossible to live here without this base. We will not allow
this at any price. We earn money to live on through the help of this
base. We will starve without it," one protesting resident told
television crews.
The opposition also commented on the impact the closure of the bases
would have on Georgian ethnic minorities living near the bases.
"We should be ready for the complication of this issue. Russia likes
to aggravate ethnic conflicts and I am afraid that the most serious
aggravation of this issue is expected in Javakheti," said MP Levan
Berdzenishvili, adding that Georgians could prevent this by spending
money and investing in the regions.
"We should make these people interested in other jobs, money, bases,
armies and so on. We should show them our Georgia money and make them
love it," he said.
According to the resolution prepared by MPs, which Parliament is yet
to vote on, the government must prepare to take certain measures to
unilaterally ensure that Russia withdraw its bases, unless bilateral
agreement can be reached between the two countries regarding the
terms of the withdrawal by May 1, 2005.
These measures include no longer issuing entry visas to Russian
military servicemen, assessment of the total debt accumulated during
the working of the bases and preparation of a "special regime of
movement" for Russian servicemen, military hardware and cargo owned
by the Russian military bases on Georgian territory.
__________________________________
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March 10 2005
Speaker shuns, Parliament discusses
Senior officials distance themselves from resolution on Russian
bases, which is attacked by Russia and by Georgian citizens dependent
on bases for employment
By Anna Arzanova
Parliament on Wednesday discussed a resolution declaring that Russian
military bases must be withdrawn from Georgian territory by January
1, 2006, despite the efforts of the speaker of parliament to postpone
the debate, and comments by senior government figures distancing
themselves from the resolution.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Salome Zourabichvili stressed on
Wednesday that the resolution is not the responsibility of either her
or the ministry she heads.
"I cannot be either an opponent or supporter of this resolution. I am
just a minister and do not think I should be asked about this issue,"
she said.
Prime Minister Zurab Noghaideli also stressed that the executive
branch of government had not been consulted regarding the drafting of
the resolution. According to Black Sea Press, he refused to comment
on the resolution, saying that the government remained in
negotiations with Russia, and hoped to resolve the issue through
reaching an agreement with Moscow.
Burjanadze tries to postpone discussion of resolution
Speaker of Parliament Nino Burjanadze on Tuesday sought to postpone
discussion of the resolution declaring the Russian bases illegal,
saying now was not the right time to discuss it, and furthermore,
that neither she nor President Saakashvili had been notified of the
plan to discuss the resolution.
The decision to discuss the resolution was made during Monday's
parliamentary bureau meeting, which Burjanadze did not attend because
she was in Germany.
"This issue was not agreed with everybody and as far as I know even
Saakashvili asked whether or not this issue had been agreed with the
leadership. Including this issue on the agenda was unexpected for
me," she said, adding that she thinks this issue should be discussed
at committee level and not by Parliament.
"We have agreed on a two-month negotiation period and these two
months should first expire, after which Parliament as well as the
executive government will take very radical measures and decisions,"
she stressed, explaining that she believes adopting such a resolution
now would impede Georgian-Russian negotiations on the issue.
Burjanadze was overruled by MPs, however, and discussion of the
resolution went ahead as planned. One of the authors of the
resolution MP Giga Bokeria stated that, "This issue is included on
the agenda. I think that this process should take place as soon as
possible."
The opposition agreed that the resolution, which they support, should
be discussed. They expressed surprise at Burjanadze's intervention,
Conservative Party leader Zviad Dzidziguri saying, "the bureau put
this issue on the agenda and decided to discuss it on March 9. If
this issue was put on the agenda by the bureau it means it should be
discussed. I think that this issue needs to be voted on."
Chair of the parliamentary committee for foreign affairs Kote
Gabashvili agreed that Parliament should discuss the resolution,
saying that if the executive government wishes to stop Parliament
from discussing the resolution it should present opposing arguments.
"I categorically demand this issue to be left in the agenda, because
this is necessary for Georgia. Our slavery must come to an end," he
said at the parliament session.
Resolution irritates Russia
Gabashvili summed up the opinion of the majority of MPs by saying
that he supported the resolution, but admitted it would probably
aggravate Georgian-Russian relations.
"Russia will react harshly to the resolution," he said. "But I think
that this issue will be settled step by step. These bases should be
withdrawn all the same."
Expressing support for the resolution, MP Davit Tkeshelashvili stated
that a concrete moment comes in the history of all countries when
certain measures should be taken. "Georgia should express its sole
will regarding Georgia to be released from Russian bases," he said.
MPs were right to say that Russia would react harshly to the
resolution. Russian news agency Interfax reports Russian Ministry of
Defense spokesman Colonel Viacheslav Sedov as saying that the
language of ultimatums, blackmail and pressure is unacceptable
regarding the withdrawal of Russian military bases from Georgia.
"The bilateral commission, which regularly holds sessions in Tbilisi
and Moscow, was set up to solve the issue of the bases' withdrawal,"
Sedov said, adding that Russia cannot withdraw their bases to an
empty field, as once happened in Russian when bases were withdrawn
from Germany. He thinks that it is necessary to first create the
infrastructure in Russia for the withdrawal of these bases.
Locals worry of impact on economy
The resolution was also criticized by ethnic Armenians living near to
the Russian base in Akhalkalaki, who rely on the base for employment.
"It is impossible to live here without this base. We will not allow
this at any price. We earn money to live on through the help of this
base. We will starve without it," one protesting resident told
television crews.
The opposition also commented on the impact the closure of the bases
would have on Georgian ethnic minorities living near the bases.
"We should be ready for the complication of this issue. Russia likes
to aggravate ethnic conflicts and I am afraid that the most serious
aggravation of this issue is expected in Javakheti," said MP Levan
Berdzenishvili, adding that Georgians could prevent this by spending
money and investing in the regions.
"We should make these people interested in other jobs, money, bases,
armies and so on. We should show them our Georgia money and make them
love it," he said.
According to the resolution prepared by MPs, which Parliament is yet
to vote on, the government must prepare to take certain measures to
unilaterally ensure that Russia withdraw its bases, unless bilateral
agreement can be reached between the two countries regarding the
terms of the withdrawal by May 1, 2005.
These measures include no longer issuing entry visas to Russian
military servicemen, assessment of the total debt accumulated during
the working of the bases and preparation of a "special regime of
movement" for Russian servicemen, military hardware and cargo owned
by the Russian military bases on Georgian territory.
__________________________________
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Yahoo! Small Business - Try our new resources site!
http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/resources/