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RUSSIAN EXPERT: PROJECT OF UNBLOCKING OF ARMENIA STILL HAS ALL CHANCES TO SUCCEED
by David Stepanyan
Wednesday, November 26, 09:46
"I see no discrepancies between the signing of the Russian-Abkhazian
Treaty on Alliance and Strategic Partnership and the Russian
President's statement on the need to rehabilitate the railway
communication with Armenia via launching the Abkhaz railway section,
Dmitry Polikanov, Vice President of the Russia-based PIR Center for
International Studies, said at today's online press conference when
replying to ArmInfo's question.
To note, President of Georgia Giorgi Margvelashvili came out with
a statement following the "strategic partnership" agreement signed
by Russian President Vladimir Putin and President of Abkhazia Raul
Khadzhimba on Monday. "The so-called agreement 'on alliance and
strategic partnership' between the Russian Federation and the occupied
Abkhazia is a step towards annexation of Georgia's territories. This
will make the situation in the South Caucasus even more complicate
and create an insuperable problem for Abkhazia," Margvelashvili said
in the statement.
"The Kremlin is going to invest in Abkhazia's development and at the
same time to solve other geopolitical problems, including establishment
of normal communication with its ally Armenia. One can understand
Georgia's indignation, but that indignation is of no significance to
the real policy. It is simply very hard for the Georgian authorities
to put up with the fact of existence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia
as separate entities. De facto they have been no Georgian territories
for a few decades already. They have their own power bodies, national
identity and economy", said the Russian expert.
Polikanov pointed out that Tbilisi can certainly amuse itself with an
illusion under the guise of protection of territorial integrity but
Georgia has missed its chance to incorporate these territories. 6
years have passed since 2008 but Russia has no intention to annex
Abkhazia or South Ossetia. In this light, he thinks that the project
of unblocking of Armenia has all chances to succeed.
The 221km Abkhazian section of the railway extending from Psou
roadside stop (Abkhazia-Russia border) up to Ingur roadside stop
(Abkhazia-Georgia border) has been closed for Armenia and Georgia
since Aug 14 1992 after the railway bridge over the River of Ingur
(dividing Georgia from Abkhazia) was detonated. Therefore, the South
Caucasus Railway (SCR) under concession of the Russian Railways is
engaged in transportation of passengers and freight inside Armenia
and to Georgia via Poti and Batumi. Out of four locomotive changing
points of the SCR only one with Georgia (Ayrum-Sadakhlo) operates. The
other three: Akhuryan-Dogukapi (Turkey), Yeraskh- Velidag (Azerbaijan)
and Ijevan-Barkhudarli (Azerbaijan) have been idling since 1991.
http://www.arminfo.am/index.cfm?objectid=F6CA9480-7537-11E4-AD7C0EB7C0D21663
From: A. Papazian
by David Stepanyan
Wednesday, November 26, 09:46
"I see no discrepancies between the signing of the Russian-Abkhazian
Treaty on Alliance and Strategic Partnership and the Russian
President's statement on the need to rehabilitate the railway
communication with Armenia via launching the Abkhaz railway section,
Dmitry Polikanov, Vice President of the Russia-based PIR Center for
International Studies, said at today's online press conference when
replying to ArmInfo's question.
To note, President of Georgia Giorgi Margvelashvili came out with
a statement following the "strategic partnership" agreement signed
by Russian President Vladimir Putin and President of Abkhazia Raul
Khadzhimba on Monday. "The so-called agreement 'on alliance and
strategic partnership' between the Russian Federation and the occupied
Abkhazia is a step towards annexation of Georgia's territories. This
will make the situation in the South Caucasus even more complicate
and create an insuperable problem for Abkhazia," Margvelashvili said
in the statement.
"The Kremlin is going to invest in Abkhazia's development and at the
same time to solve other geopolitical problems, including establishment
of normal communication with its ally Armenia. One can understand
Georgia's indignation, but that indignation is of no significance to
the real policy. It is simply very hard for the Georgian authorities
to put up with the fact of existence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia
as separate entities. De facto they have been no Georgian territories
for a few decades already. They have their own power bodies, national
identity and economy", said the Russian expert.
Polikanov pointed out that Tbilisi can certainly amuse itself with an
illusion under the guise of protection of territorial integrity but
Georgia has missed its chance to incorporate these territories. 6
years have passed since 2008 but Russia has no intention to annex
Abkhazia or South Ossetia. In this light, he thinks that the project
of unblocking of Armenia has all chances to succeed.
The 221km Abkhazian section of the railway extending from Psou
roadside stop (Abkhazia-Russia border) up to Ingur roadside stop
(Abkhazia-Georgia border) has been closed for Armenia and Georgia
since Aug 14 1992 after the railway bridge over the River of Ingur
(dividing Georgia from Abkhazia) was detonated. Therefore, the South
Caucasus Railway (SCR) under concession of the Russian Railways is
engaged in transportation of passengers and freight inside Armenia
and to Georgia via Poti and Batumi. Out of four locomotive changing
points of the SCR only one with Georgia (Ayrum-Sadakhlo) operates. The
other three: Akhuryan-Dogukapi (Turkey), Yeraskh- Velidag (Azerbaijan)
and Ijevan-Barkhudarli (Azerbaijan) have been idling since 1991.
http://www.arminfo.am/index.cfm?objectid=F6CA9480-7537-11E4-AD7C0EB7C0D21663
From: A. Papazian