OSCE OFFICIAL WELCOMES ABKHAZ RAILWAY DEAL

Civil Georgia, Georgia
May 24 2006

Speaking at the OSCE Economic Forum, which concluded in Prague on
May 24, Special Envoy of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office Pierre Chevalier
welcomed plans for a railroad project via breakaway Abkhazia, which
will connect Russia and Armenia via Georgia.

In early May the Georgian, Abkhaz, Russian, and Armenian sides signed
a protocol on establishing a consortium – the Black Sea Railways –
which will rehabilitate the Abkhaz railway.

“Everything must be done to entice parties to a conflict to find
complementary ways to overcome their differences… One possible
contribution in this respect is to lay emphasis on the economic and
social interests they have in common,” Pierre Chevalier said.

He also noted that projects proposed after an OSCE Needs
Assessment Study in breakaway South Ossetia included transportation
infrastructure. A donors’ conference will be held in Brussels on
14 June.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress