Russian pact stokes Caucasus tensions

Russia has signed defense agreements with Georgia’s breakaway Abkhazia and South Ossetia regions, allowing Moscow to maintain military bases in the rebel regions for the next half-century.

In a separate move also likely to ratchet up tensions in the Black Sea region, Russia announced that it would seize any Georgian ship it finds off Abkhazia’s coast.
The defense agreements allow Russia to station 1,700 troops in each territory and are valid for 49 years, with the option for continuous five-year renewals after that.

The Russian military headquarters in Abkhazia is to be in the Black Sea port town of Gudauta, while its headquarters in South Ossetia is to be in the region’s capital, Tskhinvali.

The defense agreements do not include hundreds of additional Russian border guards, who are also stationed in the two territories under prior agreements. Russia has already agreed to help defend both regions’ airspace and to train their militaries.

Russia has also agreed to defend what Abkhazia describes as its territorial waters, but which according to international law remains under Georgia’s jurisdiction.

Asia Times