Russia Gets Military Base in Georgia Breakaway Region Abkhazia

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev (R) speaks with Abkhazian President Sergei Bagapsh (L) during sign documents ceremony in Moscow Kremlin, Russia 17 February 2010. Photo by EPA/BGNES

Russia and Abkhazia signed Wednesday a pact creating a Russian military base in the breakaway Georgian republic.

The agreement between Russia and Abkhazia stipulates that the Russian military base will be leased for 49 years, and will allow the Russian forces “to protect the sovereignty and security of the Republic together with the armed forces of Abkhazia.”

The agreement was signed in Moscow in the presence of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and the President of Abkhazia, Sergei Bagapsh. Russian representatives have announced that there were 1 700 Russian military officers stationed off the Black Sea coast in Abkhazia at present.

Meanwhile, during a forum in London, Georgia’s President Mikhail Saakashvili asked the EU to help mediate the relations between Russian and Georgia which have come to a deadlock after the August 2008 war over South Ossetia after which both South Ossetia and Abkhazia declared independence.

Talking at the Chatham House Institute of International Affairs, Saakashvilli stated that South Ossetia and Abkhazia had been de facto annexed by Russia.

South Ossetia and Abkhazia have been recognized only by Russia and Nicaragua.

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