AZG Armenian Daily #186, 30/09/2006

Armenia-Georgia

REVAZ GACHECHILADZE: ONE SHOULD NOT GO TO SUKHUMI OR TSKHINVALI IF ONE
DOES NOT WANT TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH GEORGIAN AUTHORITIES

Revaz Gachechiladze, Georgian ambassador to Armenia, gave his comments
on daily Azg’s publications about arrests of Armenian citizens who had
visited Abkhazia or South Ossetia. Georgian law enforcers report that
starting from June 1 to September 25, 76 foreigners and 67 Georgian
citizens were arrested on charge of illegal crossing of Georgian state
border.

48 of the foreigners were citizens of Russian, 6 of Turkey, 4 of
Azerbaijan, 2 of Iran and Uzbekistan, one of India, Pakistan and
Algeria, 11 of Armenia. 4 Armenians drivers who legally crossed the
so-called South Ossetian border were soon released and their fines
were returned. 7 more Armenians are still in jail. "I want to point
out that not only Armenian citizens were arrested. This procedure
simply became glowing as the Upper Lars control point was blocked
impacting more Armenia than Georgia," said Georgian ambassador.

Yet, Mr. Gachechiladze voiced concern over the situation of the
Armenian citizens. The ambassador even turned to consulate department
asking for a third group disabled detainee to be released. But this
was an exception. Mr. Gachechiladze told daily Azg a few days ago that
the Georgian authorities made another exception by allowing to
transport the special equipment for Charles Aznavour’s concert via
Roki illegal control point.

Georgian ambassador is sure that the Armenian Foreign Ministry
objectively assesses the situation and acts adequately.

To Azg’s remark that Georgian authorities fail to secure awareness
among people, Mr. Gachechiladze once again warned that entry to
Georgia is possible only through legal control points: Upper Lars,
which is currently closed, airports of Tbilisi, Batumi and Kutaisi and
harbors of Batumi and Poti. In regards to Abkhazia, the ambassador
said: "Abkhazia purposefully stamps visitors’ passports, and that is
illegal as that is considered an illegal border crossing. One should
not go to Sukhumi or Tskhinvali if one does not want to have problems
with Georgian authorities." Incidentally, such approach to Abkhazian
and South Ossetian border crossing was adopted at the CIS Summit in
1996.

Asked what should the Armenian citizens who had recently been in
Sukhumi or Tskhinvali do, the ambassador reminded that after the crash
of Armenian A320 plane in Sochi some Armenian citizens were allowed to
pass to Abkhazia via Georgian border. Georgian Penal Code does not
apply to those citizens. As to those who visited Sukhumi and
Tskhinvali in recent years, they should simply not enter Georgia.

Most of the arrested Russian citizens may well be Armenians, as very
few Russians would cross Abkhazian-Georgian border after a visit to
Sukhumi or Tskhinvali.

By Aghavni Harutyunian