ITAR-TASS News Agency
TASS
July 12, 2005 Tuesday 2:54 PM Eastern Time

Georgian seizure of Turkish vessels is ‘sheer banditry’ – Bagapsh

By Andzhela Kuchuberia

SUKHUMI

Georgian border guards’ seizure of Turkish vessels carrying food in
neutral waters on July 2 and 3 “is sheer banditry,” Abkhaz President
Sergei Bagapsh told a Tuesday press conference in Tbilisi.

Tbilisi said the Turkish vessels did not respond to the Georgian
Coast Guard’s demand to stop.

“It is impossible to hold dialog this way,” Bagapsh said. “Georgia
was eager to make us quit [the Abkhaz settlement] negotiations, but
that did not happen.” Negotiations on the resumption of railroad
traffic through Abkhazia are underway on the basis of the 2003 Sochi
agreement, he said. The agreement stipulates the solution of economic
problems, including energy and railroads, and the return of refugees
to the Gali district of Abkhazia.

If Abkhazia quits the negotiations, the problems will not be solved,
Bagapsh said. Resumption of the railroad traffic through Abkhazia is
beneficial for Georgia, Armenia and southern Russia, he added.
Specialists will start evaluating the Abkhaz sector of the railroad
between Psou and Inguri, and Abkhazia will provide for their
security, he said.