Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Russia Blocked Georgia and Armenia From Land and Sea

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Russia Blocked Georgia and Armenia From Land and Sea

    RUSSIA BLOCKED GEORGIA AND ARMENIA FROM LAND AND SEA

    Will Kocharian and Saakashvili Discussed the Matter in Tbilisi Meeting

    Azg/am
    9 Oct 04

    The Russian-Georgian border was closed de facto on September 1 and
    only on September 15 an official order was issued. The Armenian side
    was officially informed only on September 20 when the number of
    vehicles waiting to cross the border reached 1000. No warning as to
    border crossing closure was sent beforehand.

    Georgia states that the border is open at the Upper Lars checkpoint
    from the Georgian side. "Border is open from the Georgian side and
    closed from the Russian. We are ready to provide the Armenian vehicles
    with services neededfor crossing. Last time Russia opened the border
    crossing for 2 hours was the period from September 9-12", Kakha
    Mikeladze, customs official at the Northern checkpoint, informed Azg
    Daily.

    On September 12 Russia closed also seaways for Georgia and
    Armenia. According to the information we have, Russia stopped cargo
    transportation from Poti to Novorosiysk for cargo boat repairing
    lasting two weeks.

    The two weeks have long ago expired. Now Russia explains that cargo
    transportation between Poti and Novorosiysk will resume no sooner than
    October 18. Arsen Ghazarian, head of Apaven Company, informed us that
    the closed seawaywas the only one providing transportation to the
    Company.

    20 percent of Armenian goods were conveyed through the closed Upper
    Lars checkpoint. This route becomes impassable in winter. Today the
    important thing is to take the vehicles out from Darial gorge before
    the first snow.

    The Russian side does not define any terms for the border
    opening. "The embassy has nothing to do with border closing. I have no
    information on this", was the only answer we received from the Russian
    embassy to Georgia.

    Russian press is full of information blaming Georgia for preventing
    vehicles from Armenia to cross the border. Armenian mass media and
    some officials seem to trust Russian press and declare that Russia
    opened the border after president Kocharian's phone conversation with
    Vladimir Putin, whereas Georgia did not send green light.

    In fact, Russia kept open only the Roki tunnel's section of the
    border. Armenians were allowed to enter South Ossetia where new
    problems appeared connected with Georgian-Ossetian
    confrontation. Georgia declared many times that there is only one
    legal checkpoint between Russia and Georgia, i.e. Upper Lars.

    The Russian side, in fact, invites Armenians to South Ossetia having
    in mind that they will never cross the border. Allowing Armenians to
    pass through Roki tunnel, Russia puts Georgia in a strange
    position. The latter does not recognize this border crossing and does
    not let Armenians pass it.

    Those issues may top the meeting agenda of Robert Kocharian and
    Mikheil Saakashvili. According to the press office of the president of
    Georgia, president Kocharian will arrive in Tbilisi on October
    22-24. The aim of the visit andthe framework of issues to be discussed
    were not revealed.

    By Tatoul Hakobian and Aghavni Harutyunian from Tbilisi

    From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
Working...
X