(15 Nov 2007)
Moscow, Russia
1. Mid of Aleksei Pikayev, political analyst
2. Close of hand holding a book
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Aleksei Pikayev, political analyst:
"Now it is a crucial stage of talks around the CFE treaty (Conventional Forces in Europe treaty), the conventional forces reduction treaty in Europe. Russia is going to withdraw from the treaty in mid-December unless the West would not ratify it. The West, on its side, said that it would ratify it only if the Russian troops would be withdrawn from Georgia and Moldova. So here Moscow wants to demonstrate flexibility and to improve a political environment for the last ditch attempts to save the treaty. The second message might be sent to Tbilisi. Perhaps Moscow realised that it is more interested to keep the Saakashvili (Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili) administration in power rather than to rely on an opposition which is probably even more anti-Russian than the President Saakashvili."
Tblisi, Georgia
4. Mid of Gia Nodia at his desk, head of Caucasian Institute for Peace and Security
5. Close up laptop screen
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Gia Nodia, head, Caucasian Institute for Peace and Security:
"Of course, withdrawal of bases is important in the sense this is another step for overcoming the heritage of the Soviet Union. Georgia is becoming really an independent country and the presence of Russian bases was considered a vestige of colonial past, one would say. However, it doesn't mean unfortunately the improvement of relations with Russia yet because the main points, the main problems related to Russia are about Abkhasia and South Ossetia, are about the separatist territories being really under control of Russia. And therefore this withdrawal of bases is of course is welcome to most people, but is not considered as a real solution to the Georgian-Russian problems."
7. Wide shot interview with Gia Nodia
STORYLINE:
Russia on Thursday completed a withdrawal of troops based in Georgia since the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union, officials said, although several thousand remain as peacekeepers in its two breakaway provinces despite protests from the Georgian government.
The final convoy carrying about 150 troops and equipment, which had been based in Batumi in far southwestern Georgia, moved to Armenia, a Russian Ground Forces spokesman.
The Russian troop presence had long been a source of irritation between Georgia and its giant neighbour.
Political analyst, Aleksei Pikayev, said the withdrawal of troops could have an important bearing on negotiations relating to the Conventional Forces in Europe treaty (CFE), a key arms control treaty limiting the deployment of tanks, aircraft and other heavy conventional weapons across the continent.
"Russia is going to withdraw from the treaty in mid-December unless the West would not ratify it. The West, on its side, said that it would ratify it only if the Russian troops would be withdrawn from Georgia and Moldova. So here Moscow wants to demonstrate flexibility and to improve a political environment for the last ditch attempts to save the treaty," Pikayev told AP Television in Moscow.
Pikayev believes the troop withdrawal may also have been intended to help keep Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili in power.
"Perhaps Moscow realised that it is more interested to keep the Saakashvili administration in power rather than to rely on an opposition which is probably even more anti-Russian than the President Saakashvili," Pikayev said.
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