TBILISI SAYS MOSCOW OWES MULTIBILLION-DOLLAR DEBT.

Georgia’s Foreign Ministry yesterday released a statement reminding Moscow that it owes Tbilisi compensation for the presence of Russian troops on Georgian territory. The statement provided a rough breakdown of Georgian claims as follows: rent for the 18,000 hectares of Georgian land in the use of Russian military bases, compensation for environmental damages caused by those bases and by Russian military activities in Georgia, and restitution of the value of military hardware and other equipment removed unlawfully from Georgia by Russian troops after the collapse of the USSR. The latter category alone amounts in value to "several billion dollars," according to the document. (Russian agencies, April 7)

Tbilisi pegged its statement to the Russian Duma’s current hearings on a handover to Georgia of 10 civilian facilities used by Russian military bases. Georgia counts on its territory a total of over 2,000 Russian military facilities, including the auxiliary civilian facilities specially earmarked for the use of the Russian military. Many facilities of all types have fallen into disuse and disrepair. Not long ago, Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze stated that when all mutual financial claims are totaled and compared, Russia ends up a debtor to Georgia, primarily because of billions of dollars worth of military equipment removed unilaterally by Russian troops.

Georgian Authorities Throw Light on Zugdidi Terrorist Attack.