Associated Press Worldstream
June 23, 2004 Wednesday

Heavy rains caused blockage of single Russia-Georgia highway

TBILISI, Georgia

Heavy rains over Georgia’s Dusheti region on Wednesday blocked the
only route connecting Georgia with Russia.

The rain fell in the early hours of Wednesday, causing numerous cargo
trucks to get stuck on the highway, said Georgian Prime Minister
Zurab Zhvania.

The Military Georgian Highway is the only route connecting Russia and
Georgia, through which cargo is also carried to Armenia. Georgia used
to have other railway and motor connections going through the South
Ossetia and Abkhazia regions, but the two provinces broke away in the
early 1990s.

Zhvania said that until the flooded route is freed, cargo may be
shipped through the Roki tunnel in South Ossetia.