Train carrying hardware pulled out from Georgia moves to Azeri border

The train is scheduled to reach the Georgian-Azerbaijanian border by Tuesday night, Colonel Vladimir Kuparadze, Deputy commander of the Russian troops deployed in trans- Caucasus, told Tass.

The train has 35 vehicles, 35.5 tons of ammunition and part of property withdrawn from the Akhalkalaki base on board, Colonel Kuparadze said. "If Azerbaijan gives 'a green light' to the second train similar to the first one, early on May 25 the train will be on the Russian territory," Kuparadze said.

The first train crossed the territory of Azerbaijan on Tuesday and was turned over to Russia at the Russo- Azerbaijani border within fourteen hours. The train that covered 680 kilometers, moving from the west to the north of Azerbaijan, was five hours ahead of schedule.

According to the schedule of the ammunition withdrawal, a third train carrying hardware and ammunition withdrawn from the Russian base in Akhalkalaki is to leave for Russia on May 30.

Three trains loaded with Russia's military hardware pulled out from Georgia will cross the territory of Azerbaijan until the end of May, according to Azerbaijani Transport Minister Ziya Mammadov.

"In accordance with the agreement signed by Azerbaijan and Russia Azerbaijan will give a railway corridor to 400 train cars loaded with hardware and ammunition. All the trains will be guaranteed through transit across Azerbaijan," the transport minister said.

"Azerbaijan guarantees quick and unimpeded transit to these trains across the Azerbaijani territory," Mammadov said.