Georgia plays down stoppage of transit cargo in Azerbaijan
Rustavi-2 TV, Tbilisi
29 Nov 04
[Presenter] Let’s turn to the events in Georgia. Azerbaijan’s
representatives in Georgia have made their first comments about the
stoppage of Georgia-bound cargo.
Tomorrow employees of the two countries’ customs departments will
start inspecting railway wagons heading for Georgia. The Georgians
will have to prove that the neighbouring state’s produce is not being
forwarded to Armenia. A total of 712 Georgia-bound wagons are sitting
idle at the stations in Azerbaijan. [Passage omitted]
[Correspondent] Azerbaijan’s ambassador to Georgia, who had a meeting
at the Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs this morning, has said
that the agreements should not be violated. He was referring to the
agreement prohibiting the forwarding of transit cargo to third
countries if this harms national interests of either country.
[Ramiz Hasanov, Azerbaijan’s ambassador to Georgia, interviewed] Every
country has its own interests. Would we be infringing Georgia’s
national interests if we were supplying diesel or other produce to
Abkhazia or [South] Ossetia? I think that we would.
[Mikheil Ukleba, deputy foreign minister] Not all cargo is being
blocked. Two hundred and seventy four tank wagons, as well as
grain-loaded trains, have left for Georgia. He [presumably Hasanov]
has stressed that not a single Georgia-bound shipment will be
stopped. [Passage omitted]
[Correspondent] The Georgian Customs Department has said that Georgia,
not Armenia, is the consumer of the products made in Azerbaijan.
[Levan Jgharkava, captioned as head of directorate of the customs
control] Goods made in Azerbaijan have not been going to Azerbaijan
[should be Armenia] via Georgia because there is a separate agreement
on this. While this agreement speaks about the produce of other
countries, i.e. Turkmenistan, passing through Azerbaijan and
Georgia. [sentence as heard]
A delegation of Azerbaijan’s customs department will arrive in Georgia
tomorrow. Together with the Georgians, they will study the information
about the shipments suspended in Azerbaijan.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress