RUSSIA BLOCKED GEORGIA AND ARMENIA FROM LAND AND SEA
Will Kocharian and Saakashvili Discussed the Matter in Tbilisi Meeting
Azg/am
9 Oct 04
The Russian-Georgian border was closed de facto on September 1 and
only on September 15 an official order was issued. The Armenian side
was officially informed only on September 20 when the number of
vehicles waiting to cross the border reached 1000. No warning as to
border crossing closure was sent beforehand.
Georgia states that the border is open at the Upper Lars checkpoint
from the Georgian side. “Border is open from the Georgian side and
closed from the Russian. We are ready to provide the Armenian vehicles
with services neededfor crossing. Last time Russia opened the border
crossing for 2 hours was the period from September 9-12”, Kakha
Mikeladze, customs official at the Northern checkpoint, informed Azg
Daily.
On September 12 Russia closed also seaways for Georgia and
Armenia. According to the information we have, Russia stopped cargo
transportation from Poti to Novorosiysk for cargo boat repairing
lasting two weeks.
The two weeks have long ago expired. Now Russia explains that cargo
transportation between Poti and Novorosiysk will resume no sooner than
October 18. Arsen Ghazarian, head of Apaven Company, informed us that
the closed seawaywas the only one providing transportation to the
Company.
20 percent of Armenian goods were conveyed through the closed Upper
Lars checkpoint. This route becomes impassable in winter. Today the
important thing is to take the vehicles out from Darial gorge before
the first snow.
The Russian side does not define any terms for the border
opening. “The embassy has nothing to do with border closing. I have no
information on this”, was the only answer we received from the Russian
embassy to Georgia.
Russian press is full of information blaming Georgia for preventing
vehicles from Armenia to cross the border. Armenian mass media and
some officials seem to trust Russian press and declare that Russia
opened the border after president Kocharian’s phone conversation with
Vladimir Putin, whereas Georgia did not send green light.
In fact, Russia kept open only the Roki tunnel’s section of the
border. Armenians were allowed to enter South Ossetia where new
problems appeared connected with Georgian-Ossetian
confrontation. Georgia declared many times that there is only one
legal checkpoint between Russia and Georgia, i.e. Upper Lars.
The Russian side, in fact, invites Armenians to South Ossetia having
in mind that they will never cross the border. Allowing Armenians to
pass through Roki tunnel, Russia puts Georgia in a strange
position. The latter does not recognize this border crossing and does
not let Armenians pass it.
Those issues may top the meeting agenda of Robert Kocharian and
Mikheil Saakashvili. According to the press office of the president of
Georgia, president Kocharian will arrive in Tbilisi on October
22-24. The aim of the visit andthe framework of issues to be discussed
were not revealed.
By Tatoul Hakobian and Aghavni Harutyunian from Tbilisi
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress