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TBILISI, May 17 (RIA Novosti) - Russia will start withdrawing its military base from Batumi in southwest Georgia on May 25, a senior military official said Wednesday.
"The first train, carrying mostly communications, logistics and utility equipment, will be sent to Armenia to supplement Russia's 102nd base in Gyumri on May 25," said Igor Konoshenkov, deputy commander of Russia's Land Forces.
In all, he said, six trains would be sent to Armenia and one to Russia from Russia's 12th base in Batumi.
Under an agreement signed by Russia and Georgia March 31, Russian troops will leave Russia's two Soviet-era military bases in Georgia - Akhalkalaki and Batumi - by 2008.
The pullout from Akhalkalaki, about 30 kilometers (19 miles) from the border with NATO-member Turkey started May 15, when the first train with Russian military hardware left a railway station in Tsalka, 100 kilometers (62 miles) east of Akhalkalaki, for Russia via Azerbaijan. Another train will leave May 23, while some equipment and hardware from Akhalkalaki will be transported to the Russian base in Armenia by motorcade on May 18.
