Rezonansi, Tbilisi, Georgia
March 4 2010

Reopening border with Russia "hasty" decision – Georgian expert

Georgian expert in Caucasus issues Mamuka Areshidze has said that
reopening the Larsi checkpoint at the Georgian-Russian border was a
"hasty" decision. Speaking about the socio-economic situation in the
bordering Qazbegi District, he noted that hardship in the district
might trigger all sorts of threats. The expert emphasized Russia’s
plans to "occupy" Georgia’s mountainous areas before re-establishing
diplomatic relations between the two countries. He said that the
"occupation" had started with Abkhazia, South Ossetia and other
mountainous areas and therefore the Georgian authorities should have
thought of the socio-economic development of the district before
taking the decision. The following is the text of Nino Prangishvili’s
interview with Mamuka Areshidze, in the private high circulation daily
Georgian newspaper Rezonansi on 4 March headlined "Three reasons why
Larsi checkpoint should not have been opened"; subheadings inserted
editorially:

Why did the reopening of the Larsi checkpoint [between Russia and
Georgia] cause dissatisfaction among certain circles of [Georgian]
society? What threats might this opening pose to the territorial
integrity of Georgia? What do experts say? These are the questions
Rezonansi discussed with Mamuka Areshidze, expert in Caucasus issues.

[Areshidze] I am not saying that the border should not have been
opened. I think it should have been done, but not in this situation.
At present, the Georgian state is not ready for opening the border in
this way or in this situation. I think that, unfortunately, this
decision was a hasty one similarly to many others. What I mean is that
first of all, all the risks that the opening of the border might bring
should have been eliminated. The socio-economic rehabilitation of
Qazbegi District should have taken place along with the resolution of
some related issues.

[Rezonansi] Could you specify the issues please?

Threat one: organization Daryal

[Areshidze] The first and foremost reason why I think Georgia is not
ready for reopening the border is Daryal, the organization, which was
established in North Ossetia long ago. Their main demand is joining
Qazbegi District to North Ossetia. The organization comprises former
residents of Qazbegi District.

It is obvious that the organization was not established at the
initiative of the residents of Truso and Kobi areas of Qazbegi
District as the organization is backed up by a serious political
force, though of a regional scale. I mean the North Ossetian
government. On 30 December, the deputy Speaker of the North Ossetian
parliament, several committee chairmen and MP Arsen Padzayev
participated in the organization’s meeting, where the issue of joining
Qazbegi District to North Ossetia was raised.

Surely, somebody in Tbilisi might say that some statement made by some
organization does not really matter. At first sight, it might really
look unimportant. But I am very well aware of the processes taking
place parallel to these. We know that former Qazbegi District
residents were forced to become organization members.

Besides, although the organization was founded in 2008, for the North
Ossetian press controlled by Arsen Padzayev it had been common to
discuss the question of who Qazbegi District belongs to. In this way
the process of public opinion preparation and that of mobilizing the
people was started. To my mind, these people are used as disguise by
the North Ossetian political elite, which in turn is controlled by
Moscow, of course. As a result, the issue becomes dangerous. So it is
a risky issue.

Now, imagine a virtual reality in which former residents of Qazbegi
District go back. Their majority are citizens of Russia as well as
citizens of Georgia. That is why it is unlawful to stop them from
returning to Georgia.

Let us assume that they return to Georgia and see their houses and the
condition they are in: most of them have been burgled. This might
trigger excesses. Later, they might hold a rally in the centre of
Qazbegi District. Then they might ask Russia for help. And according
to Russian legislation, the country will defend its citizens all over
the world not to mention bordering areas. Something like this might
happen.

That is why they should not have opened the border. I do not mean that
ethnic Ossetians should not be allowed to return. On the contrary,
they should by all means be allowed to return and provided [support]
as they are our citizens. But before their return, the question of
their homes should have been solved.

That is why, I think that the Georgian state was not ready for opening
the Larsi checkpoint.

Threat two: possible provocations

The next issue is the threat of provocations. Why was the [Georgian
Military] Highway opened? By doing so we made concessions to Armenia.
Great. One should make concessions to neighbours, especially when this
is politically beneficial – the more Armenia is involved in the
Georgian land transit functions the better for us: the fewer problems
we will have in Javakheti [bordering with Armenia]. However, I believe
Armenia is not the only interested party. I think that Russia is very
interested too.

[Rezonansi] What is Russia’s interest?

[Areshidze] Provisioning of the bases in Armenia, particularly in the
town of Gyumri, is very expensive for Russia as it is done by air. It
is necessary for Russia to make provisioning cheaper and have a
transit corridor. Russia will not necessarily transport weapons via
the corridor. Our road will be used for supplying food, medicine and
so forth.

On the one hand, we [help] supply the military bases of the country
with which we are almost at war. This is complete nonsense. Moreover,
we should not rule out a possibility of cargo being attacked in
Qazbegi District resulting in the killing of drivers or people in the
[transit] service. If anything of the kind happens, Russia will surely
react to it. Consequently, this is another threat for which our
country is not ready because we failed to clarify what kind of goods
will be transported via the highway.

Threat three: hardships in Qazbegi

The third factor is the hard socio-economic situation in Qazbegi
District, which is not of lesser importance. In fact, the district is
left alone. At present, the population there is 1,500 people, of whom
many are citizens of Russia or are getting pensions from Russia. Given
the hardship, it will not be difficult for an enemy to find
dissatisfied people there.

Instead of working out a law on developing the mountainous areas of
Qazbegi or other places, and working out a socio-economic programme,
they did nothing. The country did not get prepared for opening the
border in connection with this either. So we have a weak link there.

When a survey was held, half of the population supported opening of
the border. The other half was against. Some of those who supported
the idea said that they had jobs and depended on the authorities to a
certain degree and could not say no to the border opening.

[Rezonansi] So you think that in Qazbegi District, we should expect
new provocations from Russia, and the opening of the border will only
increase the risk.

Russia planning to occupy mountainous Georgia

[Areshidze] I know what Russia’s intentions in Georgia are. It is
planning to occupy the mountainous areas along the Georgian border
before restarting diplomatic relations, before the world is able to
see it. The occupation process has already started – Abkhazia, South
Ossetia, and part of Tushetia have already been occupied. In Racha,
our frontier guards made their frontier guards retreat, and now they
are focusing on Qazbegi District. Qazbegi is a key factor. It is a
neck and means to control the Georgian Military Highway. This is
Russia’s plan. And that is why the Georgian authorities should have
thought a lot before taking the decision.

I think that the state border cannot be permanently blocked. But we
should think of the results too.

[translated from Georgian]