UPPER LARS CHECKPOINT RESUMED FUNCTIONING

news.am
March 1 2010
Armenia

Today, after a lapse of three years the Upper Lars checkpoint on
Russia-Georgia border reopened.

The agreement was reached at the Russian-Georgian experts’ meetings in
Yerevan and Kazbegi with the participation of Swiss embassy employees
and confirmed by Russian and Georgian Foreign offices’ notes.

Only vehicles will be eligible to pass through the checkpoint, while
pedestrians and habitants of adjacent regions are banned from crossing
it. Georgian and Russian citizens willing to cross the border have
to be issued a visa in Swiss embassy.

Spokesman for the Federal Security Service border department for North
Ossetia Alexander Solod told RIA Novosti, that CIS, North Ossetian
and Abkhazian citizens can cross the state border having foreign,
business and diplomatic, seafarers’ passports or a certificate on
return to Russia.

The only official land route checkpoint on Georgia-Russia border is
Upper Lars, functioning since 2006. It was closed by the decision of
Russian side for reconstruction.

In May, 2009 a solemn ceremony on construction completion was held.

Later, in October end Moscow and Tbilisi took interest in early
resumption of checkpoint activities.