BLOCKADE OF ARMENIA WILL BE REMOVED AFTER ONE AND HALF YEAR

It is evident from the statements of Georgian and Russian railway experts trying to restart the Abkhazian sector of the trunk railway.

The negotiations between the representatives of the railway departments of Georgia and Russia about the implementation of the agreements on exploitation of the Abkhazian sector of the railway linking Russia and Armenia concluded by Presidents of the two countries have started.

June 25, 2003

PanARMENIAN.Net - On June 19 the same subject was discussed also by the General Director of the ''Georgian Railways'' State enterprise Chkhaidze and Deputy Minister of Communications of Russia Zyabirov. The working contacts regarding the restoration of communications started on May 29 in Moscow, where the frame of main issues to be clarified was defined. This was preceded by the conversation of Vladimir Putin and Eduard Shevardnadze taken place in Sankt Petersburg. Leaders of two countries confirmed the Sochi agreement supposing a parallel decision of issues of reconstruction of the railway communication and return of the refugees to the Gali regions of Abkhazia. We shall note that the implementation of the achieved agreements will allow Armenia to break the transport blockade which causes damages equal to $600 million.

On the suggestion of the Russian party, study of the technical situation of the Sochi-Tbilisi sector of the trunk railway will be done on the first stage. It is supposed that than it will be possible to do the estimations and decide the schedule of the reconstruction works. It is already known that the financing of the works will be undertaken by the Russian party. According to the preliminary estimations carried out by the Abkhazian railway experts, about $60 million will be needed for the reconstruction of the trunk railway.

The Georgian party has already stated that it will not participate in the reconstruction works. According to Eduard Shevardnadze, the reason is the unstable situation of the zone of the Georgian-Abkhazian conflict where there are bands operating out of control. It is not ruled out that the Armenian railway experts will also be involved in this works. But first of all issues concerning the security of workers involved in reconstruction of the trunk railway should be solved. In Tbilisi they believe that it is the Russian party that should take the responsibility for it. The Chief Engineer of the ''Georgian railways'' enterprise Tengiz Donadze said recently that the security of works at the Abkhazian sector may be provided by the CIS collective peace forces in the zone of the Georgian-Abkhazian conflict. As far as the trains are concerned, the official Tbilisi is ready to take the responsibility for everything taking place on the road from Abkhazia to Armenia.

At present it is difficult to say, when will Yerevan cashiers offices start to sell tickets to Sochi and Moscow. The optimists suppose it will take place after a year. The Georgian experts do not think it possible. Akaki Chkhaidze believes that at least one and half year will be necessary for restoration of the railway communication. But in any case, it is evident that after a short period Armenia will stop living blockaded.