Russia hopes for Georgia’s understanding on checkpoint closure
18:37 | 11/ 07/ 2006

RIA Novosti, Russia
July 11 2006

MOSCOW, July 11 (RIA Novosti) – Russia hopes Georgia will treat the
temporary closure of a border checkpoint with understanding and that
the move will not impede mutual border crossing at other checkpoints,
a senior Foreign Ministry official said Tuesday.

Russia closed the Verkhny Lars checkpoint on the border with Georgia
for reconstruction early Saturday morning for an indefinite period.

The South Caucasus state has protested against the move, saying it
was an "unfriendly act."

"We hope Georgia will treat this temporary measure with understanding
and will not impede border crossings in other areas," said Mikhail
Kamynin, official Foreign Ministry spokesman.

Kamynin said transnational criminal groupings had frequently used
the checkpoint for smuggling drugs and arms and planting militants
to carry out terrorist attacks on Russian territory.

The spokesman also said Russia was aware that the move had created
problems for people traveling via the checkpoint, including from
Armenia, and for trade. He said Russia would try to find ways to make
up for the inconvenience.

Vaan Ovannisyan, deputy chairman of Armenia’s parliament, said Monday
that by closing the checkpoint Russia had hit Armenian interests
and added the closure was due to difficult relations between Russia
and Georgia.

"They [relations] have been worsening rather than improving recently,"
he said. "Our Russian colleagues must understand that each step against
Georgia also hurts Armenia’s interests. Therefore, they should be
more flexible and careful."

Verkhny Lars checkpoint has been a source of occasional conflicts
between Russia and Georgia, the most serious of which occurred in the
1990s, when Russian border guards moved to curb spirit smuggling into
the country.