Armenia for Reopening of Russo-Georgian Border Checkpoint

Civil Georgia
July 11 2006

Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian stressed on July 11 that
reopening of the Zemo Larsi border crossing point between Russia
and Georgia, would be of vital importance for Armenia, news agency
Novosti-Armeniya reported.

Russia closed down the Zemo Larsi border checkpoint on July 8
citing repair works, but the Georgian side condemned the decision as
politically-motivated, which aims at redirecting movement of persons
and cargo through Roki Pass in breakaway South Ossetia, which Tbilisi
considers as illegal border crossing point as it is beyond the Georgian
side’s control.

Speaking at a news conference, Vardan Oskanian said that the Georgian
side has showed its good will and met the Armenian side’s request to
let 17 Armenian vehicles cross the border via South Ossetia.

"But this can not solve the problem, because the Georgian side made
it clear that this was an exclusive case, which will be unacceptable
[in the future]," Vardan Oskanian said.