AZERBAIJAN WANTS TO TAKE GEORGIAN BLACK-SEA PORTS AT THE EXPENSE OF DEBTS

PanARMENIAN.Net - The total sum that Georgia owes to Azerbaijan is 16 million dollars. It should be noted that Georgia owes to Armenia a little less. Just like the case with us, the sum accumulated within the period between 1992 and 1994. But choosing the ways of paying back the debt, official Baku for some reason is much more scrupulous than Yerevan. Georgians offer Azerbaijanis to cover the debt with goods, ranging from agricultural goods till metal and wine… But this way of solving the problem is not convenient for Azerbaijan. Baku leaders are more attracted by the formula, which was used not long ago when Armenia was paying the external debt to Russia. The "property at the expense of debt" formula has recently got another name - "the Armenian scheme" which was referred to by Vladimir Putin who was explaining the essence of his proposal to the President of Kirghizia Kurmanbek Bakiev in the course of discussion on the ways Bishkek would cover the debts to Russia.

There is actually one striking thing in the application of the so-called "Armenian scheme" for paying back Georgian debts to Azerbaijan. The thing is that official Baku plans to get instead of the debts not just profitable plant facilities, but Black-Sea ports that have tremendous strategic importance for the whole region. Though very strange it may seem, the proposal was at first not rejected by Georgian authorities. In Baku they suppose that the Georgian Prime Minister will approve the proposal during the upcoming visit.

The initiative of Azerbaijan that seems absolutely absurd at first sight, directly threatens Armenian national security, because Yerevan is connected with the outer world via Poti and Batumi. In Tbilisi, they probably guess that Azerbaijan wants to take control over Georgian ports not in the least for solving transport problems but first of all for isolating Armenia.

The passing of Black-Sea ports to Azerbaijan may bring to the full blockade of Armenia. Maybe Armenian authorities should address Georgian authorities and express their worry concerning Azerbaijan's provocative plan.

Georgian ports are much more important for Armenia than for Azerbaijan. It would be quite logical if Armenia strived for finding mechanisms of participation in administering Georgian ports. But in Yerevan no one has thought about the idea of proposing Georgians to give ports in Poti and Batumi at the expense of Georgia's external debt to Armenia. The best we could achieve was the proposal to rent the Poti harbor for several years for creating a ferry connecting Poti with the Russian "Caucasus" port. That time Georgia rejected replied with a refusal. Meanwhile, judging by the statements of Baku officials, Georgian authorities are going to seriously discuss the shocking proposal of Azerbaijan.


The real cost of Georgian Black-Sea ports is sure unequal with the sum Georgia owes to Azerbaijan. Baku makes use of the inability of Georgia to pay money and dictates conditions. The Minister of Finances of Azerbaijan Avaz Alekperov is quite optimistic about the perspectives of the deal based on the "property at the expense of debt" formula. He assures his compatriots that the deal will bring super-profits since the prices of Black-Sea ports will rise dozens of times only after a few years. Can't Georgians guess that?...