ARMENIA FEARS RUSSIA BLOCKADE OF GEORGIA
By Avet Demourian
Associated Press Writer
Associated Press
Oct 8 2006
Arkady Sarkisian has made his living by shipping containers full of
ripe peaches and fish to Russia.
But after Moscow severed all transportation links this past week with
Georgia, the main transit country for Armenian goods, Sarkisian has
had to pay more to transport his containers by a less direct route.
Armenia’s prime minister, whose country is a close ally of Russia,
insists that so far the Caucasus nation hasn’t suffered any financial
losses. Sarkisian, though, angrily disagrees.
"And what about me?" he said. "What about dozens like me?"
Russia and Georgia have been locked in a bitter dispute since the
arrests of four Russian officers by Georgia on Sept. 27 on charges of
spying. Despite their release, Moscow has imposed a range of sanctions
on its ex-Soviet republic neighbor to the south and tightened controls
on Georgians living in Russia.
Politicians and analysts warn that Russia’s transport and postal
blockade may end up economically isolating Armenia, Georgia’s
landlocked southern neighbor.
Lawmaker Grair Karapetian said Armenian entrepreneurs were suffering
"terrible losses" with the new restrictions. He estimated that
transporting some 20 tons, essentially bypassing Georgia, carried an
added expense of some $2,500.
Russia is the main trading partner for Armenia, where the average
monthly salary is equivalent to $90.
Most of Armenia’s goods travel to Russia via Georgia since neighboring
Turkey and Azerbaijan have closed their borders in protest of the
conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, an ethnic Armenian territory inside
Azerbaijan, which the two countries dispute.
Some, like Sarkisian, have had to transport their goods to a Georgian
port, then ferry them to a Ukrainian port and only then take them to
Russia. Others have had to rely on cargo planes or could not afford
the new costly routes.
And the dispute could deal another blow to Armenia if Moscow cuts
its natural gas supplies to Georgia, effectively blocking supplies to
Armenia. Several Russian politicians already have raised that prospect.
Opposition leader Khachatur Kokobalian has warned that such measures
would be devastating for Armenia.
"I am sure that our republic is in for tough times, because the
blockade of Georgia can lead to the most serious consequences for us
in the transport, gas and energy sectors," Kokobalian said.
Relations between Russia and Georgia have been strained since Georgian
President Mikhail Saakashvili came to power following the 2003 Rose
Revolution, vowing to take the country out of Russia’s orbit and join
NATO. Georgia also accuses Moscow of backing two breakaway Georgian
provinces – an allegation Russia denies.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has blamed the conflict on Georgia
and spurned Western calls to lift the sanctions, saying Georgian
conduct was "aimed at escalating tension."
In addition to the sanctions, Russian authorities also have raided
a number of Georgian-owned firms and closed down several popular
restaurants in Moscow. Russian media reported that similar raids have
been launched in several Russian provinces.
Moscow police also have asked schools to provide lists of children with
Georgian last names in order to detect illegal migrants, education
officials said. On Friday, 132 Georgians were deported after being
detained as alleged illegal migrants.
Georgia’s Foreign Ministry on Saturday protested Russia’s crackdown,
denouncing the move as "repressive measures against Georgian citizens
and ethnic Georgians," and calling on the international community to
comment on Russia’s actions.
Meanwhile, the head of Georgia’s airline, Airzena, said his company
and two other Georgian airlines operating flights to and from Russia
plan to contest Russia’s decision to suspend air links between the
two countries.
Police also detained more than a dozen activists rallying Saturday
in support of Georgia outside the country’s embassy.
—
Associated Press Writer Maria Danilova contributed to this report
from Moscow