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ARMENIA SHOULD USE ITS EXTERNAL LEVERS TO PRESS FOR REOPENING OF RAILWAY LINK THROUGH ASBKAHZIA: EXPERT
YEREVAN, April 22. /ARKA/. Armenia should use all available external
levers to press for reactivation of a railway link through Abkhazia
that connects it and the neighboring Georgia to Russia, an Armenian
expert on Georgia, Johnny Melikyan, said today.
"The opening of the Georgian-Abkhazian section of the railway
would have a beneficial impact on the Armenian economy and this is
why Armenia should use all its resources, including the Armenian
communities of Russia and Abkhazia, to press for the resumption of
the road," he said at a press conference on Monday.
He said if the rail link between Georgia and Abkhazia is not
reactivated, the only conduit for Armenia to transport goods from
Armenia to Russia will remain the Georgian Military Road which
periodically closes in winter because of heavy snow.
Melikyan also said Armenian authorities should thoroughly investigate
the benefits of the reactivated railway for all sides, including
Georgia, Abkhazia and Russia, and advertise them during official
meetings with all stakeholders.
During a recent visit to Armenia Georgia's prime minister Bidzina
Ivanishvili said his government was ready to work on this issue.
However, Georgia's president Mikheil Saakashvili condemned
Ivanishvili's statement made in Yerevan for pledging to help reactivate
the railway. Saakashvili argued that reactivation of the Abkhazian
railway could be discussed only after the restoration of Georgia's
territorial integrity and ending Russian occupation of Abkhazia and
South Ossetia. -0-
YEREVAN, April 22. /ARKA/. Armenia should use all available external
levers to press for reactivation of a railway link through Abkhazia
that connects it and the neighboring Georgia to Russia, an Armenian
expert on Georgia, Johnny Melikyan, said today.
"The opening of the Georgian-Abkhazian section of the railway
would have a beneficial impact on the Armenian economy and this is
why Armenia should use all its resources, including the Armenian
communities of Russia and Abkhazia, to press for the resumption of
the road," he said at a press conference on Monday.
He said if the rail link between Georgia and Abkhazia is not
reactivated, the only conduit for Armenia to transport goods from
Armenia to Russia will remain the Georgian Military Road which
periodically closes in winter because of heavy snow.
Melikyan also said Armenian authorities should thoroughly investigate
the benefits of the reactivated railway for all sides, including
Georgia, Abkhazia and Russia, and advertise them during official
meetings with all stakeholders.
During a recent visit to Armenia Georgia's prime minister Bidzina
Ivanishvili said his government was ready to work on this issue.
However, Georgia's president Mikheil Saakashvili condemned
Ivanishvili's statement made in Yerevan for pledging to help reactivate
the railway. Saakashvili argued that reactivation of the Abkhazian
railway could be discussed only after the restoration of Georgia's
territorial integrity and ending Russian occupation of Abkhazia and
South Ossetia. -0-