(AP) - A top military officer said Thursday that some of the equipment from Russia's bases in Georgia could be transferred to Armenia, where Moscow also has a military presence.
General Yuri Baluyevsky, chief of the Russian General Staff, said that would help Russia reduce the timeframe for withdrawing the bases to four years, the Interfax news agency reported.
Russia and Georgia have been in tense negotiations over the base withdrawal, which Tbilisi insist be complete by the beginning of 2008. The two sides are to hold a fresh round of negotiations on the lingering dispute in Tbilisi on Monday.
Armenia, an impoverished, landlocked Caucasus state, is one of Moscow's closest allies on its southern flank.
General Yuri Baluyevsky, chief of the Russian General Staff, said that would help Russia reduce the timeframe for withdrawing the bases to four years, the Interfax news agency reported.
Russia and Georgia have been in tense negotiations over the base withdrawal, which Tbilisi insist be complete by the beginning of 2008. The two sides are to hold a fresh round of negotiations on the lingering dispute in Tbilisi on Monday.
Armenia, an impoverished, landlocked Caucasus state, is one of Moscow's closest allies on its southern flank.