Georgian PM: Tbilisi Positive over Resumption Abkhaz Railway

Civil Georgia, Georgia
June 15 2005

Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Nogaideli, who addressed the summit of
chiefs of railway companies of the CIS countries in Tbilisi on June
15, told reporters that Georgia is “now positive” about resumption
of railway communication via breakaway Abkhazia. Chief of Russian
Railway Company Genadi Fadeev said that at least USD 100 million will
be needed for rehabilitation of this portion of railway.

“Georgia’s previous authorities had different position and were against
[of reopening this railway link], but the new authorities recently
have taken more positive stance of this issue. But this process [of
reopening railway] has some organizational problems and of course
this issue is first of all linked with the security of the Georgian
population of Gali district [of Abkhazia],” Prime Minister Zurab
Nogaideli said.

Chief of Russian Railway Company Genadi Fadeev told reporters on
June 15 that at least USD 100 million will be needed for resumption
of railway link via Abkhazia.

“But this cost will further increase if we include [expenses of]
rehabilitation of [portion of railway] bridge over Enguri river [at
the administrative border between Abkhazia and rest of Georgia],”
Genadi Fadeev said.

“I think all the participating countries, Russia, Georgia, also Armenia
and on certain extant Azerbaijan as well, should fund implementation
of this project,” the Chief of Russian Railway Company added.

Chief of Georgian Railway Company Davit Onoprishvili told reporters on
June 15, that this railway connection via Abkhazia should be reopened
“sooner, or later.”

“We are ready [for launch of rehabilitation process]. Today, groups
[from Russia and Georgia, with the participation of the Abkhaz side]
are meeting in Moscow to negotiate over the technical issues. The fact
is that this railway should be reopened sooner or late and Georgia
will benefit first of all from this,” Davit Onoprishvili said.