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THE 'BLACK CAT' BETWEEN TBILISI AND BAKU
Georgia Today
Nov 29 2012
Georgia
By Zaza Jgharkava
A 'black cat' has walked between Tbilisi and Baku. Although the
discontent has not gone beyond expert evaluations, it seems that the
initiatives of the new government cause serious irritations there.
This is especially true regarding the idea of restoring the
Russia-Georgia railway through Abkhazia and the diversification
of the gas reception route for Georgia, which could mean the end
of the dominant position of Azerbaijan's Socar. Two members of the
new cabinet- Reintegration Minister Paata Zakareishvili and Energy
Minister Kakhi Kaladze, came up with these initiatives.
The pre-election promises of the winning government team contribute
to this reviving of emotions. In the pre-election period, the Georgian
Dream was accusing the then government about the occupied territories.
It also criticized the high tariffs on gas and electricity. Attempts
to fulfill the promises entailed a political scandal.
Several days after the appointment, Zakareishvili voiced the idea
of restoring the railway corridor between Russia and Georgia via
Abkhazia. According to the minister, the opening of the railway would
contribute to the process of rapprochement of Georgia and Abkhazia.
The idea stated by the Georgian minister was followed by immediate
reaction in Baku. Political scientist from Azerbaijan- Mubariz
Ahmedoglu, is certain that Armenia will benefit most from opening
the Abkhazian part of the railway line. "The Armenians will take an
important part in the project, as they need the transportation of
military and other cargo to Armenia," he said.
Therefore, according to Ahmedoglu, this route has a greater
geopolitical importance than it does economic. The political scientist
says that if the anti-Azeri politics continue in Georgia, Baku will
revise its position on Georgia's territorial integrity.
The officials from Yerevan also responded to the idea of the Georgian
minister. Prime Minister Tigran Sarksyan approved the desire to
restore the railway line. "Railway transportation is cheaper than other
routes. Thus, if it becomes operational, it will decrease the cost of
transportation. Many sectors are interested in it. Their incomes will
increase and Armenia's economy will benefit from it," Sarksyan said.
After the statement made by the Armenian Prime Minister, the issue of
restoring the railway route became so sensitive for the Azerbaijani
side, that the Zakareishvili had to release the tension in the existing
confusion. He excluded the violation of the region's status-quo for
any specific benefit. "The mentioned restoration is only an idea,
but it is excluded that Georgia takes any steps against the interests
of Azerbaijan," Zakareishvili said.
The desire to restore the railway corridor between Russia and Georgia
via Abkhazia is not new. Talks between Tbilisi and Moscow on the issue
started in 1999. It was one of the issues of the package of proposals
along with the return of the IDPs on the territory of Abkhazia. In
that period, the restoration of the railway was a priority for Moscow
and the return of the IDPs was a priority for Georgia. The agreement
could not be reached because of the disagreement about priorities
and both issues remained open.
It is noteworthy that in 1999, the Azerbaijani government signed a
declaration together with the European Union where Armenia, Azerbaijan
and Georgia take responsibility for opening the railway. Georgian
political scientist Gia Nodia could have meant this document when
saying that the irritation of Azerbaijan was "exaggerated".
"As for the discontent expressed by the Azerbaijani side, there may be
a problem from their side, but I do not think this is very important
and can harm our relations. Azerbaijan needs good relations with
Georgia," Nodia said.
The initiative of the Energy Minister on the diversification of
gas transportation caused little reaction. However, the issue is
of a much larger scale than it looks at first glance. Two weeks
ago representatives of Kaztransgaz visited Georgia to discuss gas
tariff reductions. During the meeting with the Georgian minister they
discussed the issue of transporting Kazakh gas along with other issues.
Just a note: Russian Gazprom has full control over the natural gas
of Central Asia. It buys gas at a minimal price from Kazakhstan and
Turkmenistan and sells it at 100 times the price to Europe. Importing
Gazprom's Asian gas was a topic of discussion at the minister's cabinet
and Baku expressed its protest about it. Today Georgia receives a
large part of its natural gas from Azerbaijan; the gas transit quota
for providing a corridor for the gas line to Armenia through Georgia
is added to it.
If the Kazakh scheme is launched the necessity of importing Azerbaijani
gas will be put under question- first in Tbilisi and then probably
in other regions of Georgia. For example, it is hard to imagine that
the main gas operator of Tbilisi - Kaztransgaz, replaces its own gas
with the Azerbaijani gas. This is what the Kazakh guests explained to
the Georgian minister- that only in the case of importing the Kazakh
gas would tariffs would decrease.
It is not known yet when Kaladze will meet Gazprom representatives.
However, one thing is clear: if negotiations with Gazprom are a
success, it will stop the transit of natural gas via Georgian territory
to Armenia (so that Georgia does not receive anything from it) and
activate its Iran-Armenia pipeline in order not to leave its strategic
ally (Armenia) without gas during the state of execution of Georgia.
Luckily, importing natural gas from Azerbaijan is "politically tied"
to the construction of the Baku-Tbilisi-Akhalkalaki-Kars railway line,
in which Azerbaijan and Turkey have significant interests. Thus, we can
hope that because of the pre-election promises, the Russian-Georgian
deal will not take place and Georgia will not worsen its relations
with Baku.
http://www.georgiatoday.ge/article_details.php?id=10648
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
Georgia Today
Nov 29 2012
Georgia
By Zaza Jgharkava
A 'black cat' has walked between Tbilisi and Baku. Although the
discontent has not gone beyond expert evaluations, it seems that the
initiatives of the new government cause serious irritations there.
This is especially true regarding the idea of restoring the
Russia-Georgia railway through Abkhazia and the diversification
of the gas reception route for Georgia, which could mean the end
of the dominant position of Azerbaijan's Socar. Two members of the
new cabinet- Reintegration Minister Paata Zakareishvili and Energy
Minister Kakhi Kaladze, came up with these initiatives.
The pre-election promises of the winning government team contribute
to this reviving of emotions. In the pre-election period, the Georgian
Dream was accusing the then government about the occupied territories.
It also criticized the high tariffs on gas and electricity. Attempts
to fulfill the promises entailed a political scandal.
Several days after the appointment, Zakareishvili voiced the idea
of restoring the railway corridor between Russia and Georgia via
Abkhazia. According to the minister, the opening of the railway would
contribute to the process of rapprochement of Georgia and Abkhazia.
The idea stated by the Georgian minister was followed by immediate
reaction in Baku. Political scientist from Azerbaijan- Mubariz
Ahmedoglu, is certain that Armenia will benefit most from opening
the Abkhazian part of the railway line. "The Armenians will take an
important part in the project, as they need the transportation of
military and other cargo to Armenia," he said.
Therefore, according to Ahmedoglu, this route has a greater
geopolitical importance than it does economic. The political scientist
says that if the anti-Azeri politics continue in Georgia, Baku will
revise its position on Georgia's territorial integrity.
The officials from Yerevan also responded to the idea of the Georgian
minister. Prime Minister Tigran Sarksyan approved the desire to
restore the railway line. "Railway transportation is cheaper than other
routes. Thus, if it becomes operational, it will decrease the cost of
transportation. Many sectors are interested in it. Their incomes will
increase and Armenia's economy will benefit from it," Sarksyan said.
After the statement made by the Armenian Prime Minister, the issue of
restoring the railway route became so sensitive for the Azerbaijani
side, that the Zakareishvili had to release the tension in the existing
confusion. He excluded the violation of the region's status-quo for
any specific benefit. "The mentioned restoration is only an idea,
but it is excluded that Georgia takes any steps against the interests
of Azerbaijan," Zakareishvili said.
The desire to restore the railway corridor between Russia and Georgia
via Abkhazia is not new. Talks between Tbilisi and Moscow on the issue
started in 1999. It was one of the issues of the package of proposals
along with the return of the IDPs on the territory of Abkhazia. In
that period, the restoration of the railway was a priority for Moscow
and the return of the IDPs was a priority for Georgia. The agreement
could not be reached because of the disagreement about priorities
and both issues remained open.
It is noteworthy that in 1999, the Azerbaijani government signed a
declaration together with the European Union where Armenia, Azerbaijan
and Georgia take responsibility for opening the railway. Georgian
political scientist Gia Nodia could have meant this document when
saying that the irritation of Azerbaijan was "exaggerated".
"As for the discontent expressed by the Azerbaijani side, there may be
a problem from their side, but I do not think this is very important
and can harm our relations. Azerbaijan needs good relations with
Georgia," Nodia said.
The initiative of the Energy Minister on the diversification of
gas transportation caused little reaction. However, the issue is
of a much larger scale than it looks at first glance. Two weeks
ago representatives of Kaztransgaz visited Georgia to discuss gas
tariff reductions. During the meeting with the Georgian minister they
discussed the issue of transporting Kazakh gas along with other issues.
Just a note: Russian Gazprom has full control over the natural gas
of Central Asia. It buys gas at a minimal price from Kazakhstan and
Turkmenistan and sells it at 100 times the price to Europe. Importing
Gazprom's Asian gas was a topic of discussion at the minister's cabinet
and Baku expressed its protest about it. Today Georgia receives a
large part of its natural gas from Azerbaijan; the gas transit quota
for providing a corridor for the gas line to Armenia through Georgia
is added to it.
If the Kazakh scheme is launched the necessity of importing Azerbaijani
gas will be put under question- first in Tbilisi and then probably
in other regions of Georgia. For example, it is hard to imagine that
the main gas operator of Tbilisi - Kaztransgaz, replaces its own gas
with the Azerbaijani gas. This is what the Kazakh guests explained to
the Georgian minister- that only in the case of importing the Kazakh
gas would tariffs would decrease.
It is not known yet when Kaladze will meet Gazprom representatives.
However, one thing is clear: if negotiations with Gazprom are a
success, it will stop the transit of natural gas via Georgian territory
to Armenia (so that Georgia does not receive anything from it) and
activate its Iran-Armenia pipeline in order not to leave its strategic
ally (Armenia) without gas during the state of execution of Georgia.
Luckily, importing natural gas from Azerbaijan is "politically tied"
to the construction of the Baku-Tbilisi-Akhalkalaki-Kars railway line,
in which Azerbaijan and Turkey have significant interests. Thus, we can
hope that because of the pre-election promises, the Russian-Georgian
deal will not take place and Georgia will not worsen its relations
with Baku.
http://www.georgiatoday.ge/article_details.php?id=10648
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress