Russian Paper Reports on Details of Abkhaz Railway Talks

Civil Georgia, Georgia June 17 2005

The Russian daily Kommersant reported on June 17 that during the talks
in Moscow between the Georgian and Abkhaz sides on June 15-16, Foreign
Minister of breakaway Abkhazia “categorically rejected” proposal to
link the issue of reopening railway between Russia and Georgia via
Abkhazia with the return of Georgian internally displaced persons in
Gali district of Abkhazia.

“Sokhumi is also against of Tbilisi’s proposal over participation
of the railway experts from Georgia [those who are IDPs] in the
rehabilitation works, because this would lead to return of tens of
thousands of Georgians in Abkhazia,” the Kommersant reported.

According to the Russian daily, the Georgian side also proposed during
the talks in Moscow to open joint Abkhaz-Georgian customs checkpoints
at the Psou river on the border between Russia and breakaway Abkhazia.

“The Abkhaz side has rejected to even consider this proposal, stating
that the border between Abkhazia and Russia will be guarded only by
the Abkhaz border guards and custom officers,” the Kommersant reported.

In turn, the Georgian side is against of setting up custom service
at Enguri river, which is an administrative border between Abkhazia
and rest of Georgia, “because this would mean legal marking of border
between Abkhazia and Georgia.”

According to the Kommersant the Abkhazia side also demanded from
Tbilisi to lift restrictions on navel communications between Abkhazia’s
ports of Sokhumi and Gagra with Turkey “in parallel to the process
of resumption of railway communication.”

The sides have agreed during the talks in Moscow that the experts
from the Georgian and Abkhaz sides, as well as from Russia and Armenia
will meet in Gali district of Abkhazia on July 1 to inspect the entire
railway route from Enguri to Psou rivers in an attempt to assess the
current condition of the railway, the Kommersant reported.