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ARMENIA TO BENEFIT FROM UPPER LARS CHECKPOINT
news.am
nov 6 2009
Armenia
The opening of the Upper Lars checkpoint depends in Russia's consent
to lift, or at least mitigates, the embargo on Georgian products,
Shirak Torosyan, the Head of the Javakhk Union and member of the RA
Parliament, told NEWS.am.
He stressed that Armenia is the first to get economic benefits from
the opening of the checkpoint, as it is the only road connecting
Armenia with Russia. "Moreover, almost simultaneous opening of the
Armenian-Turkish border and the Upper Lars checkpoint ill create
transit competition in the region, which, in turn, cause a fall
in cargo transportation prices both in Georgia and in Turkey,"
Torosyan said.
The Armenian, Russian and Georgian Foreign Offices confirmed a
trilateral meeting in Yerevan, which discussed the opening of the
Upper Lars checkpoint, with Armenia acting as mediator. A source at
the Georgian Foreign Office pointed out that Georgia will open the
checkpoint provided Russia removed the embargo on Georgian products.
In its turn, the Russian Foreign Office refutes Georgia's
preconditions. The Armenian Foreign Office welcomed the possibility
of a compromise.
The land border between Russia and Georgia was closed in 2006 after
Russian officers were arrested in Tbilisi on a charge of espionage.
Russia imposed an embargo on Georgian products and closed the Upper
Lars checkpoint pleading the construction of a new terminal. Late last
year, Moscow informed the Georgian Foreign Office that the construction
had been completed and the terminal designed to serve 400 vehicles
daily opened. The Georgian side, however, demanded negotiations in
Geneva, through Swiss mediation, which proved unacceptable to Moscow.
news.am
nov 6 2009
Armenia
The opening of the Upper Lars checkpoint depends in Russia's consent
to lift, or at least mitigates, the embargo on Georgian products,
Shirak Torosyan, the Head of the Javakhk Union and member of the RA
Parliament, told NEWS.am.
He stressed that Armenia is the first to get economic benefits from
the opening of the checkpoint, as it is the only road connecting
Armenia with Russia. "Moreover, almost simultaneous opening of the
Armenian-Turkish border and the Upper Lars checkpoint ill create
transit competition in the region, which, in turn, cause a fall
in cargo transportation prices both in Georgia and in Turkey,"
Torosyan said.
The Armenian, Russian and Georgian Foreign Offices confirmed a
trilateral meeting in Yerevan, which discussed the opening of the
Upper Lars checkpoint, with Armenia acting as mediator. A source at
the Georgian Foreign Office pointed out that Georgia will open the
checkpoint provided Russia removed the embargo on Georgian products.
In its turn, the Russian Foreign Office refutes Georgia's
preconditions. The Armenian Foreign Office welcomed the possibility
of a compromise.
The land border between Russia and Georgia was closed in 2006 after
Russian officers were arrested in Tbilisi on a charge of espionage.
Russia imposed an embargo on Georgian products and closed the Upper
Lars checkpoint pleading the construction of a new terminal. Late last
year, Moscow informed the Georgian Foreign Office that the construction
had been completed and the terminal designed to serve 400 vehicles
daily opened. The Georgian side, however, demanded negotiations in
Geneva, through Swiss mediation, which proved unacceptable to Moscow.