Georgian paper comments on premier’s visit to Baku

24 Saati, Tbilisi
5 Mar 05

Text of report by Georgian newspaper 24 Saati on 5 March “Georgian PM
Obtains Guarantees in Baku as Karabakh War ‘Increasingly Inevitable'”
by Malkhaz Lanchava: “Prime Minister’s First Battle”

Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Noghaideli has paid a one-day working
visit to Baku. Both Tbilisi and Baku were anticipating this visit
with interest. It is well known that, at the end of last year, the
Azerbaijani government took a none too friendly step and detained
Georgian carriages on its territory. The allegation that those
carriages were en route to Armenia was used as an excuse.

There is no doubt that in the past the Azerbaijani, Georgian, and
Armenian mafia structures had indeed used the following scheme:
With Russia’s support, the alleged transit cargo from this country
[Russia] (and from fraternal Central Asia countries) was in fact sent
to Armenia.

This could not have happened without the tacit consent of Moscow,
Asgabat, Tashkent, and Astana, but it is also clear that Azerbaijani
clans profited considerably from this business. The Armenians were
silently smiling when they said that one should not think that they
were in isolation because, aside from the well-known routes, there
were other routes to break through Azerbaijan’s blockade, that is to
say, the territory of Azerbaijan itself.

Obviously, Baku could not have tolerated this for long, especially
because the Azerbaijani special services had complete information
about the true destination of the cargo not only from Georgia but
from Armenia itself. Azerbaijan, however, chose a very strange
way of resolving the problem: It did not detain the cargo on the
Russian-Azerbaijani border or at Caspian ports; for some reason it
only happened on the Georgian border. Considering us “easy prey”,
it decided to avoid border scandals with the other countries.

However, according to our information, Zurab Noghaideli said in quite
a harsh tone during negotiations in Baku, including during a meeting
with the president, that Georgia will no longer tolerate harm done
to the Georgian business.

The fact that something was indeed on its way to Armenia does not mean
that anyone can detain the cargo that belongs to Georgia. Once again,
it has to be noted that the Georgian role in the entire saga was
naturally quite significant and it has to be added that the corrupt
legacy of the past era would keep coming back many times.

Nonetheless, there is also no doubt that it was not by chance that
Azerbaijan took such a radical step. Both in Yerevan and Moscow, they
talk about [Azerbaijani President] Ilham Aliyev preparing for war.
Many observers even believe that the decisive battle for Nagornyy
Karabakh is absolutely inevitable. In this situation, Azerbaijan is
trying to ensure the economic blockade of Armenia.

Zurab Noghaideli let the hosts know that Georgia holds a traditionally
neutral position on the Karabakh war but will not allow any
unilateral Azerbaijni actions against the Georgian transit. Given
the aforementioned, Zurab Noghaideli’s visit becomes even more
significant. The prime minister received guarantees not only from
the government but also from President Ilham Aliyev that Azerbaijan
will be content itself with the exchange of information, will cease
unilateral actions, and respect Georgia’s right to distance itself
from both warring sides in the new phase of the war for Karabakh,
which, unfortunately, is becoming increasingly inevitable.

No one mentioned the word “war” in Baku. Of course, there was no
talk about Armenia during those negotiations either but the context
itself defined things quite objectively despite declarations and
statements for the press. The Georgian prime minister expressed
concern only about the Georgian issue and this is how it should be
in a normal situation. Thus, Noghaideli’s mission to Baku was much
more important than just the issue of freeing several trains or even
restoring the transit.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress