Kommersant, Russia
June 17 2005

Ways of Disconnection

// Georgian refugees protest against the opening of the railroad
traffic through Abkhazia

Friendship of nations

Georgian prime minister Zurab Nogaideli said yesterday Tbilisi is
willing to launch talks on the opening of the railroad traffic
through Abkhazia. Though the government ties up the settlement of the
issue with the problem of Georgian refugees in Abkhazia, the refugees
accuse the prime minister of parricide threatening to block the
railroad. But this does not seem to frighten Georgian authorities.
Tbilisi is ready to take the risk so as to improve relations with
Moscow and derive some benefits.

Abkhazian railway route has been out of operation since August 1992
when the war in the region broke out. The road has an important
strategic meaning and promises big profits to the parties involved.
Besides, if it were reconstructed, Russia would have a strong
connection with Armenia, its main ally in Transcaucasia. Georgia has
always linked the issue of the resumption of the railway services
with the settlement of the Abkhazian conflict and the return of
Georgian refugees to the province.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, Eduard Shevarnadze, then Georgian
president, and representative from Abkhazia came to an agreement on
~Sthe synchronization~T of the refugees~R homecoming and the resumption
of the railroad traffic. A considerable part of the Georgian
population has already returned to the Gali district of Abkhazia
despite many unsolved problems, which made further steps possible.

Mikhail Saakashvili, new Georgian president, took over tackling the
problem after Eduard Shevarnadze~Rs resignation. But it was not until
recently that the matter has moved off the dead centre. Tbilisi
hosted a meeting of railroad agencies of the CIS and Baltic countries
last Wednesday. The head of Russian Railway Gennady Fadeev also
attended the summit. He met Georgian president Mikhail Saakashvili
and prime minister Zurab Nogaideli and called his negotiations
encouraging.

The talks on the same topic were resumed in Moscow yesterday. They
were a less success, though. The Georgian party was represented by
the country~Rs state minister on the settlement of conflicts Georgy
Khaindrava. The Abkhazian delegation consisted of vice PM Leonid
Lakerbay and Sergey Khamba, interior minister of the breakaway
province. Abkhazia made it a point straightaway that it would not
earmark money on the rebuilding of the railroad since it successfully
operates on the Sochi-Sukhumi section, which is quite enough for the
republic.

Mr. Fadeev said the day before that the reconstruction of the
road-bed on the Abkhaz sector from Sukhumi to Western Georgia~Rs town
of Zugdidi was estimated at $100 million. The figure does not take
into account the rebuilding of the railroad bridge over the Inguri
River blown up during 1992-1993 war. Russia and Armenia are ready to
bankroll the project.

It seems that there is a long way to carry it out, though. Sergey
Shamba flatly rejected the proposal to link the rebuilding of the
road and the homecoming of the refugees to Abkhazia~Rs Gali district
at the Moscow talks. Sukhumi opposes Tbilisi~Rs idea of the
participation of Georgian railroad workers (refugees from Abkhazia)
in the reconstruction since it would entail the return of dozen
thousands of Georgians to Abkhazia, which will influence the
demographic balance of the republic.
Georgia proposed to set up a joint customs centre on the Psou River,
in the Abkhazian sector of the Russia-Georgian frontier. The
Abkhazian delegation rejected any discussion of the proposal
emphasizing that only Abkhazian frontier and customs officers would
guard the border with Russia.

Tbilisi disagree to carry out the customs supervision on the
demarcation line of Georgian and Abkhazian forces (along the Inguri
River) since this would indirectly mean the judicial marking of the
border, which would enrage the opposition and refugees. Tbilisi
offers Moscow to deploy Georgian observers on the Russian side of the
Psou River. Sukhumi insists that alongside the resumption of the
Georgia and Abkhazia railroad traffic Tbilisi should lift
restrictions on the ship service between Abkhazia and Turkey using
ports of Sukhumi and Gagry.

Despite all the conflicts, the parties managed to come to an
agreement that for experts to meet in the Gali district of Abkhazia
on July 1 and follow the route of the railroad together with their
Russian and Armenian counterparts. They are supposed to examine the
road and decide where the rebuilding should be started from. Georgy
Khaindrava, head of the Georgian delegation at the Moscow
negotiations says that ~Sit will be a political decision anyway. ~SThe
Abkhazian conflict can be settled only by peace negotiations and
mutual concessions.~T Georgian prime minister Zurab Nogaideli said in
his interview with Imedi television: ~SWe have discussed the issue
with Russian prime minister Mikhail Fradkov. Out position is clearly
defined: the road can be opened if the refugees return to the Gali
district of Abkhazia and are guaranteed security. There is a number
of other conditions, though.~T

It is only Georgian refugees from Abkhazia that oppose this decision.
~SAuthorities try to sell the refugees in return for the railroad and
its profits,~T Paata Davitaya, a refugees~R leader, said yesterday.
Speaking on behalf of hundred thousands of refugees, Mr. Davitaya
made it clear that the refugees who reside in different Georgian
districts are sure to block up the traffic of trains if they cannot
return to Abkhazia concurrently with the resumption of the railroad
traffic. ~SGeorgian government does not have a unanimous opinion on
the problem. Economic ministers are lobbying the opening of the
traffic because they consider the project profitable. Furthermore, if
the connection with Russia is resumed, the Georgian railroad would
attract investors and it would be easy to sell it at an auction. It
looks like a parricide,~T Paata Davitaya claims.

Nevertheless, Mikhail Saakashvili confirmed at his meeting with
Gennady Fadeev that Tbilisi is ready to take a difficult and risky
decision for the sake of the improvement of the relations and
invigorating ties with Russia, reported reliable sources. Current
Georgian authorities must be feeling quite confident if they are not
afraid of the stream-roller of the refugees.

by Vladimir Novikov, Tbilisi