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Lifting of sanctions on Abkhazia to boost rail traffic to Armenia

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  • Lifting of sanctions on Abkhazia to boost rail traffic to Armenia

    RIA Novosti, Russia
    March 6, 2008



    Lifting of sanctions on Abkhazia to boost rail traffic to Armenia -
    RZD


    MOSCOW, March 6 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's decision to lift transport
    and other sanctions on Georgia's breakaway republic of Abkhazia will
    significantly increase passenger and freight traffic via Georgia to
    Armenia, Russia's rail monopoly Russian Railways (RZD) said on
    Thursday.


    Russia lifts trade, economic, financial sanctions on Abkhazia


    MOSCOW, March 6 (RIA Novosti) - Russia has lifted trade, economic,
    financial and transport sanctions on Georgia's breakaway republic of
    Abkhazia, and urged other CIS countries to follow suit, the Foreign
    Ministry said on Thursday.

    The ministry said that "due to a change of circumstances, the Russian
    Federation no longer considered itself bound" by a resolution on the
    Abkhazia-Georgia conflict, which was adopted by the CIS Heads of
    State Council on January 19, 1996.

    It said sanctions were imposed amid a confrontation between Georgia
    and Abkhazia that continued after the 1992-93 war and were designed
    to compel Abkhazia to adopt a more flexible position, primarily on
    the return of refugees and other displaced persons.

    "Today the situation has changed drastically. The majority of ethnic
    Georgian refugees have returned to Abkhazia's Galsky district," the
    ministry said.

    Abkhazia, an unrecognized republic with a population around 200,000,
    has plans to reiterate its calls for recognition of its de facto
    independence by Russia and major international organizations later
    this week.

    Russia's lower house of parliament the State Duma is to discuss the
    issue of Georgia's breakaway republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia
    on March 13.

    Shortly after Kosovo declared independence on February 17, Abkhazia
    and South Ossetia, both involved in bloody conflicts after
    proclaiming independence from Georgia in 1991, said the recognition
    of Kosovo should now be taken into account when considering their
    claims for sovereignty.

    Russia has repeatedly said the recognition of Kosovo will set a
    precedent for other breakaway regions, including in the former Soviet
    Union.

    The Russian parliament said in a statement in late February that
    Kosovo's independence gives Russia the right to forge new
    relationships with self-proclaimed states.

    The decision to lift transport sanctions on Abkhazia will
    significantly increase passenger and freight traffic via Georgia to
    Armenia, Russia's rail monopoly Russian Railways said.
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