KAZAN, August 27 (RIA Novosti) - Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili said Russia and Georgia had achieved serious progress in Russian military bases withdrawal for the last month.
"Last month was marked in Russian-Georgian relations by a civilized breakthrough in addressing Russian military presence in Georgia," Saakashvili told a press conference Saturday. The Georgian leader spoke about the launched withdrawal of two Russian military bases remaining in Batumi (Adjaria) and Akhalkalaki (on the border with Armenia). According to agreements reached in May, Russia is to fully withdraw the bases by the end of 2008.
Saakashvili said the CIS was a useful format for meetings and consultations.
On Georgia's proposal, an article on respect for state sovereignty was included in the CIS humanitarian cooperation agreement, he said. Russia submitted a draft agreement on humanitarian cooperation within the CIS.
The CIS summit was held yesterday in Tatarstan's capital Kazan.
