U.S. AND RUSSIA UNBLOCK SOUTH CAUCASUS

Information-Analytic Agency NEWS.am
Sept 4 2009
Armenia

Georgian mass media reported about the opening of "Upper Lars"
checkpoint, the new checkpoint opening ceremony took place in
Russian-Georgian border in Kazbegi.

The construction was funded by the United States and managed by
a corps of U.S. army engineers. US 2.4 $ mln was spent on the
project. U.S. Ambassador to Georgia John Tefft, Georgian Finance
Minister Kakha Baindurashvili as well as Zaza Gogava, the chief
of border police and Grigoriy Grigalashvili, the chief of patrol
forces participated in the ceremony. The U.S. side expressed hope
that Georgia and Armenia will restore economic and tourist ties, and
the Kazbegi station (Upper Lars form Russian side) will contribute
to safe transportation of people and goods between the countries.

In his interview with Azerbaijan-based 1news.az., Tengiz Pkhaladze,
the head of the Georgian Center for Geopolitical Research, expressed
the opinion that the newly opened checkpoint will make full-fledged
traffic possible. "Washington’s aim is control over the entire
South Caucasus, but Armenia frustrates all their plans, and they
seek for an alternative. The opening of the Upper Lars checkpoint,
and the Turkish-Armenian border negotiations are part of this plan,"
the expert said. It is noteworthy Russia has not tried to conduct
direct negotiations with Georgia, but held talks with United States.

"It seems Moscow and Washington agreed on some issue related to the
Caucasus. Let us not forget that Russia used to express discontent
with the possible reopening of the Armenian-Turkish border. At present,
however, Moscow even welcomes these agreements. The checkpoint opening
has also been perceived calmly by Russia. However one cannot say the
checkpoint will work properly, as the Russian side used to repeatedly
open and then close it in the past. I do not want to be too optimistic
over Upper Lars," he said.

Earlier, the political analyst Armen Gevorgyan told NEWS.am that
Washington and Moscow shared roles in the settlement of South Caucasian
problems. According to Gevorgyan, the United States has assumed part of
the responsibility for the settlement of Armenian-Turkish relations,
and the initiative policy of U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
is evidence thereof. The Russian side pledged to contribute to the
Nagorno-Karabakh peace process – the Maydorf Declaration and the
number of Armenian-Azerbaijani presidential meetings in Moscow are
evidence thereof as well.

Commenting on the reports on the planned reopening of the Upper
Lars checkpoint and the U.S. contribution the process, Gevorkyan
underlined: "U.S-Russian agreements seem to be of larger scope than
we expected. After the August war (war in South Ossetia) Russia
became more compliant, agreeing to a dialogue with Washington. The
matter concerns the full-scale unblocking of the region by joint
efforts, without touching upon South Ossetia and Abkhazia problem,
and drawing parallels with Kosovo. Armenian-Turkish border opening
is senseless if commodity flow stalls at the Georgian-Russian and
Armenian-Azerbaijani borders. Most likely, the Armenian-Turkish
rapprochement and a breakthrough in the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process
are part of the unblocking plan in the South Caucasus."