Pan Armenian News
11.05.2005, “PanARMENIAN Network” analytical department
AZERBAIJAN WANTS TO TAKE GEORGIAN BLACK-SEA PORTS AT THE EXPENSE OF DEBTS
This plan is fraught with the reinforcement of transport blockade of
Armenia.
The Prime-Minister of Georgia Zourab Nogayideli is getting ready for his
second working visit to Baku. The main issue, which will be discussed during
the visit, is the restructuring of the Georgian public debt to Azerbaijan.
It is worth reminding that the issue of the external debt was also the
central one during Zurab Nogayideli’s visit in Yerevan.
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The total sum that Georgia owes to Azerbaijan is 16
million dollars. It should be noted that Georgia owes to Armenia a little
less. Just like the case with us, the sum accumulated within the period
between 1992 and 1994. But choosing the ways of paying back the debt,
official Baku for some reason is much more scrupulous than Yerevan.
Georgians offer Azerbaijanis to cover the debt with goods, ranging from
agricultural goods till metal and wine… But this way of solving the problem
is not convenient for Azerbaijan. Baku leaders are more attracted by the
formula, which was used not long ago when Armenia was paying the external
debt to Russia. The “property at the expense of debt” formula has recently
got another name – “the Armenian scheme” which was referred to by Vladimir
Putin who was explaining the essence of his proposal to the President of
Kirghizia Kurmanbek Bakiev in the course of discussion on the ways Bishkek
would cover the debts to Russia.
There is actually one striking thing in the application of the so-called
“Armenian scheme” for paying back Georgian debts to Azerbaijan. The thing is
that official Baku plans to get instead of the debts not just profitable
plant facilities, but Black-Sea ports that have tremendous strategic
importance for the whole region. Though very strange it may seem, the
proposal was at first not rejected by Georgian authorities. In Baku they
suppose that the Georgian Prime Minister will approve the proposal during
the upcoming visit.
The initiative of Azerbaijan that seems absolutely absurd at first sight,
directly threatens Armenian national security, because Yerevan is connected
with the outer world via Poti and Batumi. In Tbilisi, they probably guess
that Azerbaijan wants to take control over Georgian ports not in the least
for solving transport problems but first of all for isolating Armenia.
The passing of Black-Sea ports to Azerbaijan may bring to the full blockade
of Armenia. Maybe Armenian authorities should address Georgian authorities
and express their worry concerning Azerbaijan’s provocative plan.
Georgian ports are much more important for Armenia than for Azerbaijan. It
would be quite logical if Armenia strived for finding mechanisms of
participation in administering Georgian ports. But in Yerevan no one has
thought about the idea of proposing Georgians to give ports in Poti and
Batumi at the expense of Georgia’s external debt to Armenia. The best we
could achieve was the proposal to rent the Poti harbor for several years for
creating a ferry connecting Poti with the Russian “Caucasus” port. That time
Georgia rejected replied with a refusal. Meanwhile, judging by the
statements of Baku officials, Georgian authorities are going to seriously
discuss the shocking proposal of Azerbaijan.
The real cost of Georgian Black-Sea ports is sure unequal with the sum
Georgia owes to Azerbaijan. Baku makes use of the inability of Georgia to
pay money and dictates conditions. The Minister of Finances of Azerbaijan
Avaz Alekperov is quite optimistic about the perspectives of the deal based
on the “property at the expense of debt” formula. He assures his compatriots
that the deal will bring super-profits since the prices of Black-Sea ports
will rise dozens of times only after a few years. Can’t Georgians guess
that?…
11.05.2005, “PanARMENIAN Network” analytical department