Civil Georgia, Georgia
Jan 10 2005

Georgia Cautious over Restoration of Railway via Abkhazia

Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania said after talks with
visiting Russian Transport Minister Igor Levitin on January 10, that
number of conditions should be met before restoring railway
connection between Russia and Georgia via breakaway Abkhazia.

`Restoration of the railway link is related to the number of
conditions. On the other hand situation in Abkhazia is still quite
unclear yet. Restoration of the railway was not the top issue
discussed today,’ Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania said; however
he did not specify these conditions.

Russian Transport Minister Igor Levitin told reporters, that experts
from Russia are currently assessing those needs, including the
financial, which will be necessary for restoring railway link from
Sokhumi, capital of breakaway Abkhazia, to administrative border with
Georgia.

Last November, Russian Transport Minister, who visited Georgia and
Armenia, proposed that the countries of the South Caucasus set up a
joint Russian-Georgian-Armenian-Azerbaijani company which would
restore traffic on the Trans-Caucasus Railway, which ceased
functioning after conflicts in Abkhazia and Nagorno-Karabakh in the
early 90s.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress