Russian defense ministry condemns Georgia’s ultimatums and blackmail

The language of ultimatums and blackmail is inadmissible in the solution of the problem of the Russian bases' withdrawal from Georgia, said Vyacheslav Sedov, the head of the Russian Defense Ministry's press service.

Ultimatums and blackmail are inappropriate today when the sides are working out proposals and searching for mutually beneficial solutions of the existing problems, Sedov stressed.

The Defense Ministry's spokesman commented on the recent statements by Georgian political figures.

For instance, speaker of the Georgian parliament Nino Burdzhanadze said on Thursday that if no progress was achieved in the terms of the Russian military bases' withdrawal from Georgia, the Georgian parliament would take tough measures against the Russian military contingent outlined in the resolution of March 10, 2005.

In compliance with this document, the Russian bases in Batumi and Akhalkalaki should be dismantled and should leave Georgia before January 1, 2006. The Georgian government was instructed to take measures to speed up the withdrawal of bases, for instance, to stop granting visas to Russian servicemen and introduce a special regime of their movements.

According to Sedov, today the sides should give up their emotions and tackle practical constructive agreements.