Messenger.ge, Georgia
July 28 2004

Building closer relations with Armenia
By M. Alkhazashvili

A large Armenian governmental delegation, including almost all of the
country’s ministers and headed by Prime Minister Andranik Margarian,
was in Georgia for a two-day visit this week. Prime Minister of
Georgia Zurab Zhvania hosted the delegation. The major issue of the
negotiations was the deepening of economic cooperation. Of particular
importance in this regard for the Armenians is the revival of the
railway line which connects Russia with Georgia, and hence Armenia.

The Armenian delegation raised the question of the rehabilitation of
the Sochi-Tbilisi segment of the railway running through Abkhazia.
This question was discussed in March 2003 at the Shevardnadze-Putin
summit held in the southern Russian resort town of Sochi. The
Georgian government at that time made the revival of the railway
dependent on the unconditional and safe return of Georgian refugees
to their original dwelling-places in Abkhazia. This would, however,
necessitate determining Abkhazia’s status within the state of
Georgia, which would never be accepted by the current Abkhaz de facto
administration.

The new Georgian government shares this view. While saying that the
Georgian government understands the vital importance of this line for
Armenia, Zurab Zhvania told journalists on Monday that the renewal of
the railway is connected to the return of refugees to Abkhazia and
the process of Georgia’s territorial re-integration. “Until the
refugees return to Abkhazia, the railways will not be opened,”
declared Zhvania.

This leaves the situation in deadlock, however, as there is no reason
to suggest Georgian refugees will return in the near future. The de
facto regime in Abkhazia backs the idea of renewing the railway, but
is not prepared to consider the return of refugees. The Georgian
government hopes that by connecting the railway to the return of
refugees, it will be able to use the pressure of the Armenian lobby
on Russia, but it is difficult to say exactly how much influence is
wielded by Armenia in Russia.

Re-opening the railway line was not, of course, the only reason for
the delegation’s visit. Another very important issue was the
transportation of Armenian cargo through the Georgian Black Sea ports
Batumi and Poti, which is also very important for Armenia. The
reduction of tariffs for Armenian cargo was a topic of discussion in
Tbilisi, and the Georgian side promised to consider this issue.

Another issue discussed was the smuggling of timber from Georgia into
Armenia, which causes Georgia to incur serious material losses. Of
course it is obvious that it is Georgia’s responsibility to stop
smuggling across its borders, but to do so it requires cooperation
from the Armenian side.

Georgian-Armenian economic cooperation has some political flavor as
well. Georgia wants to develop good relations, both economically and
politically, with its two South Caucasian neighbors, but this is
complicated by the continuing distrust between Armenia and
Azerbaijan. Given Georgia’s deepening economic ties with Azerbaijan,
it was important that Armenia not be made to feel ‘left out,’ and
that Georgia take this opportunity to develop closer ties with its
southern neighbor.

President Saakashvili has suggested the creation of a South Caucasus
common market, which, of course, will not happen in the near future
but could be a good prospect and incentive for future economic
cooperation and reconciliation.