Russia imposes transport restrictions on Georgia

Kavkasia-Press news agency
11 Sep 04

Tbilisi, 11 September: Russia has imposed a transport blockade
on Georgia. Kavkasia-Press learnt from Georgia’s Civil Aviation
Administration and Department of Road Transport that they received
letters to that effect from Russia’s aviation and transport
administrations.

A fax sent by the Russian aviation administration says that, since
Georgian airlines accumulated 3m dollars of debts owed to the Russian
aviation administration, Georgian aircraft will no longer be allowed
to enter Russia’s airspace from 1 October 2004.

The Georgian Civil Aviation Administration said that the 3m dollars
was a debt owed by some Georgian airlines that ceased to exist three
years ago. Therefore, the administration described Russia’s decision
to close its airspace for Georgia as a move aimed at complicating
bilateral relations.

As regards motorways, from now on Georgian bus companies will not be
able to operate services to Russia. The Russian side said the reason
was breaches of contracts and irregular journeys.

The Georgian side says that both letters are vague and allegations
listed in them are groundless.

Georgian experts think that Russia is trying to put pressure on
Georgia. They said it was a surprising move against the background of
Russia’s resumption of railway link to [breakaway Abkhazia’s capital]
Sukhumi. Some of the experts think Russia may be trying to compel
Georgia to agree to resumption of railway link to Armenia through
Abkhazia.