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Armenia's efforts threatening Georgia's interests

25 June 2014 10:17 (UTC+04:00)
Armenia's efforts threatening Georgia's interests

By Jamila Babayeva

The possible restoration of a direct rail link between Georgia and Russia via Georgia's breakaway Abkhazia region is one of the main risks threatening Georgia's foreign policy, a Georgian expert said.

"The government's possible decision to restore the railway will mean the strengthening of Russia's control over the occupied Abkhazia region and an increase of Russian troops in this occupied region," the Chairman of the Board of the Free Zone Public Organization Gela Vasadze told AzerNews.

The direct rail link between Georgia and Russia via Abkhazia was interrupted after the Georgian-Abkhaz war in 1993. After the parliamentary election in 2012 Georgia's new government declared its willingness to reopen the former railway communication with Russia.

The idea of restoration of the rail link gained momentum following Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan's recent remarks in Tbilisi.

"Armenia seeks restoration of a direct rail link between Georgia and Russia via Abkhazia," Sargsyan told the local Rustavi 2 channel during his visit to Tbilisi.

Sargsyan added that the opening of the railway depends not only on Armenia and Russia, but also on other sides. "So we are actively working on this issue, for us, it is of vital importance," he said.

This issue began to be discussed again especially on the background of a mudslide on the Russian-Georgian border on May 17. The only road, which links Armenia to Russia passes through this border. The reopening of the road took a long time. Armenia's trade relations with Russia saw a serious decline due to unpleasant natural phenomenon.

The opening of the rail link via Abkhazia is not at the stage of detailed discussions yet, Georgian State Minister for Reconciliation and Civic Equality Paata Zakareishvili said earlier commenting on the statement of head of the Russian Railways, Vladimir Yakunin, that it is time to "focus on the question of opening the railroad communication through Abkhazia and Georgia to Armenia."

"But in a foreseeable future, it may be a subject of discussion between Georgian and Russian officials," Zakareishvili noted.

Tbilisi said the question of opening Abkhaz railway was not considered at a meeting of representatives of the governments of Georgia and Armenia, which were held within Sargsyan's official visit to Tbilisi.

However, the issue of restoration of the railway communication with Russia through Georgia's breakaway region of Abkhazia will be discussed in the National Security Council of Georgia, the Leader of the Parliamentary majority George Volski said recently.

Vasadze believes that a strong pro-Russian lobby in the Georgian government will update this issue as soon as possible.

He added that some parts of the Georgian society are concerned over the perspectives of restoration of the railway link.

"The Georgian Public Organization Free Zone has decided to prevent the implementation of the Russian project by all lawful means from picketing outside the government offices to blocking the railway on the administrative border with Abkhazia, if the authorities take such a step," he concluded.

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