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.