ARMENIA CAUGHT UP IN RUSSIA’S EMBARGO ON GEORGIA
By M. Alkhazashvili

The Messenger, Georgia
Oct 2 2007

Since Russia slammed a transport, trade and postal embargo on Georgia
late last year, Armenia has faced economic isolation as its main
trade route to Russia is severed.

The blockade, the Regnum news agency reports, was discussed at a
Moscow meeting between the Russian acting prime minister and Armenian
counterpart Serzh Sarkisian last week.

"There are no problems in Armenian-Russian relations," Armenian
Ambassador to Russia Armen Smbatian stated on September 27 after the
meeting, adding that all of the Armenia delegation’s questions were
answered by Moscow officials.

The ambassador reportedly said Russia promised the Lars checkpoint
on the Georgian-Russian border would reopen in 2008, as well as a
second ferry connection.

"I cannot say all our transport issues are solved, but there is
certain progress," Smbatian said.

Russia is Armenia’s top trading partner, and the blockade has
caused serious problems for the landlocked state. Armenia has no land
connections to Russia aside from Georgia; the route through Azerbaijan
closed in the wake of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Nonetheless, statistics for the first eight months of 2007 show total
Armenian trade turnover up 9.4 percent on 2006 figures.