Alexei Malashenko: Upper Lars checkpoint opening Caucasian problem

PanARMENIAN.Net - Yerevan-Moscow-Tbilisi space bridge on opening of Upper Lars checkpoint in the light of Russian-Georgian-Armenian relations was held in Yerevan on March 9.

“Opening of Upper Lars may be eyed as an attempt to improve the current situation. It’s a Caucasian problem,” said Alexey Malashenko, a member of the Carnegie Moscow Center's Research Council.

According to Sergey Markedonov, the head of the interethnic relations department at Moscow's Institute of Political and Military Analysis, the ongoing process may help restore ties between countries, also conveying an impulse to normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations.

As to Armenian-Georgian relationship, Mr. Markedonov said it’s a signal for Georgia to reconsider its policy toward the Armenian-populated Javakheti region.

For his part, one of the Georgian opposition leaders, Georgi Khaindrava said Armenia is the only country to benefit from opening of the checkpoint. At that, he remarked that Russia opened Upper Lars to supply its military base in Gyumri with armament.

“Improvement of Russian-Georgian relations is unlikely,” said Alexander Iskandaryan, director of Caucasus Institute. “It’s not improvement but re-formatting of relations,” he said.