RUSSIAN PLAN TO RESUME RAILWAY SERVICE BETWEEN RUSSIA AND ARMENIA
Levan Kiknadze

Expert Club
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May 17 2010
Georgia

President of the "Club of Experts"

"We hope that in the coming three or five years it will be possible
to resume railway service between Russia and Armenia through
the territory of Georgia and which was suspended due to difficult
Georgian-Abkhazian relations in the 90s" – said general director of
"South Caucasian Railway" Shefket Shaidulin at the press-conference
that was held in Yerevan on April 29th. According to him "of course,
this is a political issue and depends of state of political affairs
but there is a hope that this dream can come true".

With this regard we would like to remind Mister Shaidulin that the
railway that passes on the territory of Georgia became vital for
Armenian population when relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan
became extremely strained and they turned into armed confrontation.

After the Georgian-Abkhazian conflict even this way was closed
and Armenia found itself in a very difficult position. Naturally,
Armenia that was in bad situation was very interested in quick
regulation of the Georgian-Abkhazian conflict that would as well help
to resume railway movement between Russia and Armenia through Georgian
territory. Given that the issue of resumption of the railway movement
was discussed in the Georgian-Armenian relations on almost every high
level governmental meeting. At the same time Armenia used to work very
actively for these purposes with government circles of both Russia
and the west and international organizations. As a result, in the
process of the regulation of the conflict from time to time an issue
of restoration of the railway on the territory of Abkhazia was entering
the agenda and was becoming more acute. But we must say to our Armenian
neighbours that Russia would have never allowed this to happen. Though
if Russia were to be willing resolution of this problem would not have
been difficult since the conflict parties would not have been against
it. But the reason for Russia’s opposition was that by restoration
of the railway in Abkhazia and resumption of railway service Russia
would have been faced with unwanted reality as resumption of railway
service would have opened way for the population on both sides of the
division line for deepening of contacts, beginning of cooperation in
various spheres, restoration of economical and cultural relations and
so on. All this in the end would have been a significant success on
the way to the resolution of the conflict and that would have stood
in the way of fulfillment of Russia’s insiidous plans.

Then many believed in Russia’s role as mediator. All the more that
regarding the issue of restoration of the railway, as in many other
issues, Russia at first always played a positive role. But as soon
as it felt "danger" that the conflict parties were about to reach a
consensus in a series of issues relevant reaction followed. Through
security services they were able to easily provoke one or the
other side as a result of which reached agreements were broken and
negotiations were in the dead-end.

The issue of restoration of the Abkhazian section of the railway
and resumption of railway transit with Armenia was raised by Aslan
Abashidze back during the Shevardnadze governance. At that time the
Kremlin saw Aslan Abashidze as an alternative to Shevardnadze and as
Ajara factor would not have been enough and in order to raise his
rating among the refugee population of Abkhazia Moscow charged him
with a role of a mediator for resolution of the Georgian-Abkhazian
conflict. Additionally, what is no less important is that use of
Abashidze would make it easier for Russia to direct the conflict
resolution process considering its own interests. The issue of
restoration of the railway in Abkhazia was also raised especially and
Russia did not even intend to open transit movement. At that time
information received by Security Ministry of Abkhazian legitimate
government clearly showed that it was planned to restore only the
Leselidze-Ochamchire section of the railway in Abkhazia in order to
allow Russia to transport military goods and equipments deep into
Abkhazia through the railway. And it was in no way connected with
resumption of railway transit for Armenia. It was not connected for
a simple reason that preparation works were not being carried out
on those mechanisms that should have provided security of passenger
and cargo transportations on the Georgian-Abkhazian section of the
railway. As it is well- known Tamaz Nadareishvili not only blocked this
issue but he also managed to debar Aslan Abashidze from the process.

After the Rose Revolution as a result of active efforts of Armenia
in both Moscow and the west negotiations regarding the issue of
restoration of the railway in Abkhazia were put under control of
the UN observer mission in Georgia. Bilateral working groups were
established and they were working in various directions and were filled
with railway, power and security specialists. Restoration works were
defined and financing of the restoration works was undertaken by the
Russian railway which was officially registered in a protocol.

Russian railway troops entered Abkhazia to conduct restoration
works and actively started to restore the railway. By this time
Russia, as usual, drove negotiations into the dead-end and isolate
the Georgian side from the process of the railway restoration and
finished restoration of the Leselidze-Ochamchire section of the
railway. And nobody was bothering the Georgian side about restoration
of the remaining part of the railway – the Ochamchire-Ingiri section
– that was in the worst condition and without restoration of which
transit with Armenia would not have been possible. As following events
showed that the restoration of the Leselidze-Ochamchire section of the
railway was an important part of Russia’s plan of ultimate occupation
of Abkhazia.

As to Sheftek Shaidulin’s recent statement about resumption of the
railway service between Russia and Armenia through Georgian territory
the latter of course means restoration of the Ochamchire-Gali section
of the railway what Russia can do perfectly well without us. But
as to the Enguri railway bridge that connects Gali and Zugdidi its
restoration can only be possible with our consent. We do not rule out
that Sheftek Shaidulin’s recent statement could be a trick as Russia
is convinced that in case of actualization of this issue in existing
circumstances Georgia will refuse and thus Russia will try to stir
up discord between us and Armenia as it has done many times before.

FYI: The Armenian railway was handed over for 30 years to the South
Caucasian Railway which is a sister company to the Russian railway.

The agreement provides that if the service on the Abkhazian section
of the railway is restored investment must amount to 2.1 billion
US dollars.