Georgia sees 'no sign' of promised Russian pullout
Source: AFP August 19, 2008
CHECKPOINT OUTSIDE GORI, GEORGIA - Georgia said Monday it saw “no signs” of a promised Russian pullout of combat troops from deep inside its territory, amid growing Western pressure on Moscow to begin a withdrawal.
“Unfortunately, we see no signs that the Russians are starting to pull out or even preparing to withdraw from Georgia,” interior ministry spokesman Shota Utiashvili told AFP.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev had assured his French counterpart Nicolas Sarkozy on Sunday that Russian regular forces “will begin withdrawing” from Monday, the Kremlin said.
Russian troops early Monday were still holding the main checkpoint into the city of Gori, just 60 kilometres (37 miles) west of the capital Tbilisi, an AFP correspondent reported.
Soldiers staffing a checkpoint two kilometres outside Gori were not allowing waiting media into the city, although four vehicles from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) were let through.
The AFP correspondent saw a light Russian military presence on the road into Gori from the crossroads at Igoeti, 40 kilometres west of Tbilisi, including a half dozen Russian armoured personnel carriers and trucks.
The continued presence of Russian troops over the last days inside and around Gori " which lies well outside of the region of South Ossetia that sparked the conflict " has infuriated the Georgian government.
Another reporter near Tskhinvali, the capital of breakaway South Ossetia, saw Russian military vehicles parked on the roadside, accompanied by their crews, but no sign of a massive outflow of Russian troops.
At a Russia-Georgia border crossing point further north, AFP witnessed traffic of military trucks, some of them carrying lumber and building supplies, both entering and coming out of Georgian territory.
Despite the continued tension, Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili called for talks with Russia to prevent a “definitive estrangement” between the two sides.
In a televised address, Saakashvili repeated his demand for the immediate withdrawal of Russian forces “ without delay”.
But he then struck a more conciliatory note, saying: “Let’s then start thinking, negotiating how can we prevent the definitive estrangement of our two countries.”
“Let’s resolve problems through civilised methods,” said Saakashvili.
However, new tensions gathered over Russia’s longer-term military plans in the small but strategically located ex-Soviet republic.
Russia plans to deploy a peacekeeping force of unspecified size that Georgian officials worry could turn into an open-ended occupation.
US officials say Russia has deployed SS-21 tactical missile launchers to South Ossetia, putting the Georgian capital within their striking range, The New York Times reported.
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