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ITAR-TASS: Russia to continue losing positions in South Caucasus
without rehabilitation of Abkhazian railway
ARMINFO
Saturday, March 16, 10:40
The recent visits of Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan and President
of the partially recognized republic of Abkhazia Alexander Ankvab have
become a kind of parade of Russia's allies on the threshold of
possible turbulence period, an article published on the website of
ITAR-TASS says.
The article says that at present only Armenia in the South Caucasus
casts itself as loyal to Russia (exclusive of Abkhazia and South
Ossetia, which are only recognized by Russia and Nicaragua, as well as
by a number of tiny states of the Pacific - editor).
"The topic of rehabilitation of the railway has arisen right after the
Georgian Dream's victory at the parliamentary election in Georgia in
autumn 2012 offered prospects of warming in the Russian-Georgian
relations. But the reality is that any attempt to start public
discussion causes strong resistance of certain circles in Georgia and
Azerbaijan. Such a railway would unblock Armenia, which is now
completely isolated from infrastructure schemes built in the South
Caucasus by Baku, Tbilisi and Ankara. This would automatically mean
strengthening of Armenia's positions in its simple relations with
Azerbaijan and Turkey. Russia, in turn, would instantly retrieve most
part of economic, political and military impact in the region, which
has considerably declined since 1991. For Armenia it would be new
economic possibilities and an absolutely new status, which would allow
discussing the Karabakh peace process and the reconciliation with
Turkey more confidently", the article says.
Even though neither of the communiques that followed Sargsyan's and
Ankvaba's visits mention the railway, Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina
Ivanishvili hurried to comment on the issue by saying that there is a
political will to restart the road, but one must be careful lest it
might damage Georgia's political interests.
"Considering the foreign political unanimity of the Georgian MPs, it
will be hard to make this will true, but it will certainly be a
crucial topic for Russian-Armenian relations during Sargsyan's second
term and for Russian-Abkhazian ones following the Olympic Games in
Sochi. Not yet openly formulated by anybody, this problem is as
follows: either the railway will be restarted or Russia will continue
losing its positions in the South Caucasus," the article says.
From: Baghdasarian
without rehabilitation of Abkhazian railway
ARMINFO
Saturday, March 16, 10:40
The recent visits of Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan and President
of the partially recognized republic of Abkhazia Alexander Ankvab have
become a kind of parade of Russia's allies on the threshold of
possible turbulence period, an article published on the website of
ITAR-TASS says.
The article says that at present only Armenia in the South Caucasus
casts itself as loyal to Russia (exclusive of Abkhazia and South
Ossetia, which are only recognized by Russia and Nicaragua, as well as
by a number of tiny states of the Pacific - editor).
"The topic of rehabilitation of the railway has arisen right after the
Georgian Dream's victory at the parliamentary election in Georgia in
autumn 2012 offered prospects of warming in the Russian-Georgian
relations. But the reality is that any attempt to start public
discussion causes strong resistance of certain circles in Georgia and
Azerbaijan. Such a railway would unblock Armenia, which is now
completely isolated from infrastructure schemes built in the South
Caucasus by Baku, Tbilisi and Ankara. This would automatically mean
strengthening of Armenia's positions in its simple relations with
Azerbaijan and Turkey. Russia, in turn, would instantly retrieve most
part of economic, political and military impact in the region, which
has considerably declined since 1991. For Armenia it would be new
economic possibilities and an absolutely new status, which would allow
discussing the Karabakh peace process and the reconciliation with
Turkey more confidently", the article says.
Even though neither of the communiques that followed Sargsyan's and
Ankvaba's visits mention the railway, Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina
Ivanishvili hurried to comment on the issue by saying that there is a
political will to restart the road, but one must be careful lest it
might damage Georgia's political interests.
"Considering the foreign political unanimity of the Georgian MPs, it
will be hard to make this will true, but it will certainly be a
crucial topic for Russian-Armenian relations during Sargsyan's second
term and for Russian-Abkhazian ones following the Olympic Games in
Sochi. Not yet openly formulated by anybody, this problem is as
follows: either the railway will be restarted or Russia will continue
losing its positions in the South Caucasus," the article says.
From: Baghdasarian