MOSCOW, January 12, 2003. (RIA Novosti) - Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs is drafting a "harsh demarche against Georgia with blatant provocative anti-Russian statements" by Nodar Natadze, leader of Georgia's Popular Front, a Russian government functionary said to Novosti.
As he was addressing a news conference in Tbilisi, Georgian capital, today, Mr Natadze demanded an urgent withdrawal of Russian military bases from his country. "We can expect sabotage by Russian secret services in our land every instant as long as Russian military bases remain in Georgia," he said.
Nodar Natadze came down on his country's new rulers for negotiating with Russia on prospects to prolong its military presence. "That's a kind of auction- a three-year pullout postponement comes as mere starting price," he holds.
The Georgian top does not think Russia needs longer than three years to withdraw its bases from Georgia down to the last soldier, while Russia insists on ten years or even more.
