Abkhazia prepares to agree Russian air/naval base deal

Georgia's breakaway region of Abkhazia expects to sign a deal within the next few months to allow Russia to establish a naval base and an airbase on its territory, Kristian Bzhania, spokesman for Abkhazian separatist leader Sergei Bagapsh, said on 29 January. Russia needs a base in the Black Sea as its lease of the Ukrainian port of Sevastopol expires in 2017 and Kiev has made clear it does not want to renew it

[first posted to http://jdw.janes.com - 29 January 2009]