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The Messenger, Georgia
March 24 2005
Georgia launches new ferry service to Russia
But questions remain over what will become of Abkhaz rail link
By M. Alkhazashvili
Poti Port (above) launched a new ferry
to Russia on Wednesday; Russia and
others still hope that a larger transit
link can be renewed via Abkhazia
The opening of the Georgian-Russian ferry between the ports of Poti
and Kavkaz on Wednesday, March 23, represents a new building block in
cooperation between the two countries' transportation systems but is
overshadowed by the lack of certainty on reopening the Abkhaz rail
route.
The ferry crossing, which had been agreed to in January by the
Minister of Economic Development Aleksi Aleksishivli and the Russian
Minister of Transportation Igor Levitin, will operate every three
days according to its preliminary schedule.
The roll-on-roll-off (RO-RO) ferry is the fourth ferry route
operating out of Georgia - others go to Bulgaria, Romania, and
Ukraine - and will be able to carry 24 railway freight cars on each
trip.
While significant, railway officials say it cannot make up for the
loss of the Abkhaz section of the railway line in terms of shipping
goods in and out of Georgia. Restoration of the rail line is one of
the main issues upon which Abkhaz de facto president Sergei Baghapsh
has staked relations with Tbilisi. "Georgiaa-Abkhaz negotiations
should be started first with the operation of the railway," he said
last week after returning from meetings in Moscow.
While Georgia is not against the reopening of the rail link -
shipping officials in fact are eager for it - the country is
unwilling to accept an unfavorable agreement as to how this should
happen. An agreement regarding the operation of the railway via
Abkhazia was signed during a Shevardnadze-Putin meeting held in Sochi
in 2002. At the time the Georgian government laid out its stance that
the reopening of the railway is conditionally tied to the secure and
protected return of Georgian refugees to Abkhazia, first of all to
Gali. In addition, Tbilisi demanded that former railway workers be
given their jobs back. While talks have proceeded over the
restoration of the railway and Russian officials have helped open a
line connecting Abkhazia with Russia, Tbilisi has been frustrated in
its efforts to return IDPs to the region.
Armenia is also interested in the restoration of the railway via
Abkhazia, seeing it as a desperately needed outlet to the Russian and
European economies. During meetings with Georgian counterparts over
recent months, the Armenian side has continually raised the issue of
the restoration of the railway. Their argument is simple: blockades
with both Azerbaijan and Turkey have reduced its ability to trade
beyond Georgia and Iran to a trickle.
The question facing Georgia, however, is whether the restored railway
will help settle the conflict and speed the restoration of its
territorial integrity. Many in the government fear that without
proper controls, the operation of the railway will economically
strengthen only separatist Abkhazia and have few benefits for
Tbilisi.
Another concern is that a working Abkhaz railway would only increase
Russia's influence on the separatist regime. The demographic 'vacuum'
created by exiling Georgians from Abkhazia could be filled by Russian
workers; in addition Tbilisi would resist legitimizing Russian
tourist and business activities in the region if there are no
mechanisms for Georgians to do the same. While increasing Russian
influence in the region is an understandable fear, increasing Abkhaz
economic condition would only improve negotiations as the region is
destitute.
Questions that remain are where to establish custom check points and
border controls; Tbilisi has constantly refused to establish custom
checkpoints inside its own territory on borders with separatists
states. In addition, funds must be allocated to rebuild and operate
the railway which is missing several bridges and entire lengths of
track in some places.
Disagreements over the Abkhaz railway was a catalyst of the region's
war; it would now be ideal, though difficult, if its restoration were
a building block in ending the conflict.
March 24 2005
Georgia launches new ferry service to Russia
But questions remain over what will become of Abkhaz rail link
By M. Alkhazashvili
Poti Port (above) launched a new ferry
to Russia on Wednesday; Russia and
others still hope that a larger transit
link can be renewed via Abkhazia
The opening of the Georgian-Russian ferry between the ports of Poti
and Kavkaz on Wednesday, March 23, represents a new building block in
cooperation between the two countries' transportation systems but is
overshadowed by the lack of certainty on reopening the Abkhaz rail
route.
The ferry crossing, which had been agreed to in January by the
Minister of Economic Development Aleksi Aleksishivli and the Russian
Minister of Transportation Igor Levitin, will operate every three
days according to its preliminary schedule.
The roll-on-roll-off (RO-RO) ferry is the fourth ferry route
operating out of Georgia - others go to Bulgaria, Romania, and
Ukraine - and will be able to carry 24 railway freight cars on each
trip.
While significant, railway officials say it cannot make up for the
loss of the Abkhaz section of the railway line in terms of shipping
goods in and out of Georgia. Restoration of the rail line is one of
the main issues upon which Abkhaz de facto president Sergei Baghapsh
has staked relations with Tbilisi. "Georgiaa-Abkhaz negotiations
should be started first with the operation of the railway," he said
last week after returning from meetings in Moscow.
While Georgia is not against the reopening of the rail link -
shipping officials in fact are eager for it - the country is
unwilling to accept an unfavorable agreement as to how this should
happen. An agreement regarding the operation of the railway via
Abkhazia was signed during a Shevardnadze-Putin meeting held in Sochi
in 2002. At the time the Georgian government laid out its stance that
the reopening of the railway is conditionally tied to the secure and
protected return of Georgian refugees to Abkhazia, first of all to
Gali. In addition, Tbilisi demanded that former railway workers be
given their jobs back. While talks have proceeded over the
restoration of the railway and Russian officials have helped open a
line connecting Abkhazia with Russia, Tbilisi has been frustrated in
its efforts to return IDPs to the region.
Armenia is also interested in the restoration of the railway via
Abkhazia, seeing it as a desperately needed outlet to the Russian and
European economies. During meetings with Georgian counterparts over
recent months, the Armenian side has continually raised the issue of
the restoration of the railway. Their argument is simple: blockades
with both Azerbaijan and Turkey have reduced its ability to trade
beyond Georgia and Iran to a trickle.
The question facing Georgia, however, is whether the restored railway
will help settle the conflict and speed the restoration of its
territorial integrity. Many in the government fear that without
proper controls, the operation of the railway will economically
strengthen only separatist Abkhazia and have few benefits for
Tbilisi.
Another concern is that a working Abkhaz railway would only increase
Russia's influence on the separatist regime. The demographic 'vacuum'
created by exiling Georgians from Abkhazia could be filled by Russian
workers; in addition Tbilisi would resist legitimizing Russian
tourist and business activities in the region if there are no
mechanisms for Georgians to do the same. While increasing Russian
influence in the region is an understandable fear, increasing Abkhaz
economic condition would only improve negotiations as the region is
destitute.
Questions that remain are where to establish custom check points and
border controls; Tbilisi has constantly refused to establish custom
checkpoints inside its own territory on borders with separatists
states. In addition, funds must be allocated to rebuild and operate
the railway which is missing several bridges and entire lengths of
track in some places.
Disagreements over the Abkhaz railway was a catalyst of the region's
war; it would now be ideal, though difficult, if its restoration were
a building block in ending the conflict.