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Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
Aug 22 2014
Georgian Military Road in economy of the Caucasus
22 August 2014 - 12:45pm
Andrey Petrov, Moscow, exclusively for Vestnik Kavkaza
The Georgian Military Road is the only ground connection between
Russia and Armenia. The 200-km road connects Vladikavkaz and Tbilisi,
running along the rivers of the Greater Caucasus, including the Darial
Gorge. The road is often hit by avalanches and blocked for days or
weeks in winter and mudslides in the summer.
19 Russian cities have direct air connection with Yerevan. Another
route is the ferry to Batumi. However, the routes are only suitable
for passengers, freighting is only possible on the Georgian Military
Road.
Mudslides on May 17 and August 20 caused by the Devdorak Glacier broke
the North Caucasus - Trans-Caucasus pipeline supplying Armenia with
Russian gas and flooded the River Terek. Scientists say that the
mudslides are a result of global changes on the Main Caucasus Ridge,
even the most advanced technologies cannot prevent glaciers from
melting.
In Soviet times, ground connection was available through Azerbaijan
and the Trans-Caucasus Railway. The Armenian-Azerbaijani
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict resulted in closing of the Azerbaijani
route, the Georgian Abkhaz conflict left the railway closed.
Trade turnover between the countries has been low for years. Georgia
could always use Azerbaijan as an alternative route, it even stopped
trade with Russia in the 2000s.
Armenia is joining the Customs Union and the Eurasian Economic Union
of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan, Georgia is expanding trade with
Russia. The demand for food from the South Caucasus has risen in the
light of Russia's ban on Western food.
Armenia could make use of the railway through Abkhazia and keep the
status quo of Nagorno-Karabakh. Experts say that the topic is often
raised at Georgian-Abkhaz top-level meetings.
The transportation collapse is one of the reasons why the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict needs to be settled. Opening borders would
allow Armenian businessmen to gain better access to the Russian market
through Abkhazia, ignoring avalanches and landslides. Customs fees in
Georgia would drop. Azerbaijan would have an opportunity to join
Eurasian integration projects and give Armenian businessmen benefits
for transportation of products. All the region needs is the political
will to settle the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, based on the Madrid
Principles or any other document.
http://vestnikkavkaza.net/news/politics/59133.html
Aug 22 2014
Georgian Military Road in economy of the Caucasus
22 August 2014 - 12:45pm
Andrey Petrov, Moscow, exclusively for Vestnik Kavkaza
The Georgian Military Road is the only ground connection between
Russia and Armenia. The 200-km road connects Vladikavkaz and Tbilisi,
running along the rivers of the Greater Caucasus, including the Darial
Gorge. The road is often hit by avalanches and blocked for days or
weeks in winter and mudslides in the summer.
19 Russian cities have direct air connection with Yerevan. Another
route is the ferry to Batumi. However, the routes are only suitable
for passengers, freighting is only possible on the Georgian Military
Road.
Mudslides on May 17 and August 20 caused by the Devdorak Glacier broke
the North Caucasus - Trans-Caucasus pipeline supplying Armenia with
Russian gas and flooded the River Terek. Scientists say that the
mudslides are a result of global changes on the Main Caucasus Ridge,
even the most advanced technologies cannot prevent glaciers from
melting.
In Soviet times, ground connection was available through Azerbaijan
and the Trans-Caucasus Railway. The Armenian-Azerbaijani
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict resulted in closing of the Azerbaijani
route, the Georgian Abkhaz conflict left the railway closed.
Trade turnover between the countries has been low for years. Georgia
could always use Azerbaijan as an alternative route, it even stopped
trade with Russia in the 2000s.
Armenia is joining the Customs Union and the Eurasian Economic Union
of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan, Georgia is expanding trade with
Russia. The demand for food from the South Caucasus has risen in the
light of Russia's ban on Western food.
Armenia could make use of the railway through Abkhazia and keep the
status quo of Nagorno-Karabakh. Experts say that the topic is often
raised at Georgian-Abkhaz top-level meetings.
The transportation collapse is one of the reasons why the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict needs to be settled. Opening borders would
allow Armenian businessmen to gain better access to the Russian market
through Abkhazia, ignoring avalanches and landslides. Customs fees in
Georgia would drop. Azerbaijan would have an opportunity to join
Eurasian integration projects and give Armenian businessmen benefits
for transportation of products. All the region needs is the political
will to settle the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, based on the Madrid
Principles or any other document.
http://vestnikkavkaza.net/news/politics/59133.html