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VIEWS FROM MOSCOW: RUSSIAN-ABKHAZIAN TREATY SHOT DOWN PROJECT OF RAILWAY TO ARMENIA VIA ABKHAZIA AND GEORGIA
by David Stepanyan
Wednesday, November 26, 09:48
The Russian-Abkhazian treaty has shot down the project of the railway
to Armenia via Abkhazia and Georgia, Andrei Yepifantsev, head of the
analytical bureau Alte Et Certe, told ArmInfo when commenting on the
latest Russian-Akhazia strategic treaty.
In this light, Yepifantsev was outraged at Vladimir Putin's statement
on the need to reactivate the railway to Armenia via Abkhazia and
Georgia. "Abkhazia refused from that project avoiding resumption of
the political contacts with Georgia. They did not need the railway
economically as Russia fed them and they did not need to work,"
he said.
Meanwhile, the expert said, Georgia needed the project depoliticized.
What Tbilisi would face in case the project was launched is a severe
economic shock from Azerbaijan, the country Georgia greatly depends
on. This would result in gas, petrol price hike. In such situation,
only with Russia's political concessions on the breakaway territories
it would be possible to explain the Georgian people that the railway
was necessary. "Actually, the treaty improving Abkhazia's state bears
relation also to Georgia. It conserves the Abkhazian ethnic project
in its current form that is at odds with reality," he said.
Yepifantsev thinks the chances that Abkhazia will return to Georgia
on its own, if there were such, now seem as never obscure for the
Georgian people. Consequently, Georgia's agreement for the railways is
obscure too. It is a simple dilemma: either you strengthen Abkhazia's
sovereignty and get its agreement for the railway, with no chances for
Georgia's consent, or you curtsey to Georgia and feed it with hopes
for Abkhazia's return, and in that case Abkhazia will not let you make
the railway. Before the treaty, there was a chance to get the golden
mean," he said. Generally, Yepifantsev harshly criticizes the project,
as it does not meet Russia's interest while creating more expenses on
Abkhazia. In the meantime, Russia's initial version of the treaty was
quite interesting and admissible, as it implied partial integration
of Abkhazia into Russia, something Russia could pay for.
However, the Abkhazian parliament removed its responsibilities from
the Russian version of the treaty and left only Russia's commitments
to support Abkhazia, the expert said.
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=4BE75E30-7538-11E4-AD7C0EB7C0D21663
From: A. Papazian
by David Stepanyan
Wednesday, November 26, 09:48
The Russian-Abkhazian treaty has shot down the project of the railway
to Armenia via Abkhazia and Georgia, Andrei Yepifantsev, head of the
analytical bureau Alte Et Certe, told ArmInfo when commenting on the
latest Russian-Akhazia strategic treaty.
In this light, Yepifantsev was outraged at Vladimir Putin's statement
on the need to reactivate the railway to Armenia via Abkhazia and
Georgia. "Abkhazia refused from that project avoiding resumption of
the political contacts with Georgia. They did not need the railway
economically as Russia fed them and they did not need to work,"
he said.
Meanwhile, the expert said, Georgia needed the project depoliticized.
What Tbilisi would face in case the project was launched is a severe
economic shock from Azerbaijan, the country Georgia greatly depends
on. This would result in gas, petrol price hike. In such situation,
only with Russia's political concessions on the breakaway territories
it would be possible to explain the Georgian people that the railway
was necessary. "Actually, the treaty improving Abkhazia's state bears
relation also to Georgia. It conserves the Abkhazian ethnic project
in its current form that is at odds with reality," he said.
Yepifantsev thinks the chances that Abkhazia will return to Georgia
on its own, if there were such, now seem as never obscure for the
Georgian people. Consequently, Georgia's agreement for the railways is
obscure too. It is a simple dilemma: either you strengthen Abkhazia's
sovereignty and get its agreement for the railway, with no chances for
Georgia's consent, or you curtsey to Georgia and feed it with hopes
for Abkhazia's return, and in that case Abkhazia will not let you make
the railway. Before the treaty, there was a chance to get the golden
mean," he said. Generally, Yepifantsev harshly criticizes the project,
as it does not meet Russia's interest while creating more expenses on
Abkhazia. In the meantime, Russia's initial version of the treaty was
quite interesting and admissible, as it implied partial integration
of Abkhazia into Russia, something Russia could pay for.
However, the Abkhazian parliament removed its responsibilities from
the Russian version of the treaty and left only Russia's commitments
to support Abkhazia, the expert said.
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=4BE75E30-7538-11E4-AD7C0EB7C0D21663
From: A. Papazian