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Rustavi-2 TV, Georgia
Sept 6 2013
Georgian officials, MPs react to Armenian statement on re-opening railway line
[Translated from Georgian]
Georgian officials and MPs have unanimously denied the statement by
the Armenian Security Council Secretary Artur Baghdasaryan that
Russia, Georgia, and Georgia's breakaway Abkhazia have agreed to
reopen the railway line connecting Armenia with Russia.
The railway line has been blocked since the start of the
Georgian-Abkhaz conflict in 1992.
"No one has given such permission and no one has voiced the readiness
or decision. In general, the railway problem is a very interesting
issue, which can be in our economic interests. When talk about the
problem started, we said that the Georgian government would not do
anything that is not in its interests. Unfolding events will show what
may be in its interests. However, disseminated reports saying that
permission has been issued and some agreement has been reached are not
true," Rustavi-2 showed Georgian Foreign Minister Maia Panjikidze
saying.
"There was a certain stir raised in our media five or six months ago.
In my opinion, we gave a full answer regarding this problem at that
time. We said that we were not holding talks with Russia on this issue
and we are not talking with Russia on restoring the railway line
across Abkhazia. I can unambiguously confirm the same thing now. As a
rule, such things cannot be concealed. We are not speaking with Russia
on this issue," Georgian Prime Minister's Special Envoy for relations
with Russia Zurab Abashidze told Rustavi-2. "This issue was not at all
discussed within the framework of my dialogue with [Russian Deputy
Foreign Minister] Mr [Grigoriy] Karasin. Therefore, it is difficult
for me to say now, where this information has come from," Abashidze
added. At the same time, Abashidze said that "if there is an
initiative or proposal on Russia's part, we are ready to hear what
their idea of restoring the railway line is". "We are not saying that
we will never speak about it," Abashidze said, adding that "if this
happens, of course, it must happen based on the principle of Georgia's
territorial integrity".
"Georgia's strategic interest lies in implementing the
Kars-Akhalkalaki project, which is already being implemented. This is
a project that connects Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkey with Europe.
It is a serious project that is advantageous for Georgia economically
and geopolitically. It connects Georgia with its strategic partners.
It is a very important project for the whole region and Georgia. It is
important for our sovereignty and our economy," Rustavi-2 showed
Georgian National Security Council Secretary and Georgian President
Mikheil Saakashvili's close ally Giorgi Bokeria saying. "As regards
the idea of restoring this railway line and so forth, this project is
linked to: a) serious risks, because we should be very careful, where
the Russian Federation is our partner; and b) particularly because it
goes across the occupied territory. We should take all these
difficulties into account when implementing this project. In a few
words, the implementation of such a project would be possible if it
were part of a package that resolves the problem of de-occupation,"
Bokeria added, expressing hope that the Georgian government would not
make a "fundamental mistake that would damage our country's
interests".
MP Giorgi Gabashvili of the pro-presidential United National Movement
told Rustavi-2 that Georgia's territories were "occupied" by Russia,
so Georgia's national interests should be taken into account when
discussing such issues. Gabashvili stressed that the opening of the
railway line was "contrary to Georgia's national interests" and added:
"The public should have full and exhaustive information about that. If
something like that has happened, we should not be hearing it from the
Armenian media".
"Our opponents sometimes invent things and then build stories on them.
I do not know precisely the context in which the secretary of the
Armenian Security Council made the statement. but there is one thing
that I know: People thought about restoring the Abkhaz railway and
developing economic projects and of course, they are thinking about
that now too, but you, journalists, are well aware that there can be
and there is no talk about any decision on this issue, given the fact
that it is one thing to discuss something and it is another thing to
make a decision at the government level," MP Viktor Dolidze of the
Georgian Dream coalition told Rustavi-2.
Sept 6 2013
Georgian officials, MPs react to Armenian statement on re-opening railway line
[Translated from Georgian]
Georgian officials and MPs have unanimously denied the statement by
the Armenian Security Council Secretary Artur Baghdasaryan that
Russia, Georgia, and Georgia's breakaway Abkhazia have agreed to
reopen the railway line connecting Armenia with Russia.
The railway line has been blocked since the start of the
Georgian-Abkhaz conflict in 1992.
"No one has given such permission and no one has voiced the readiness
or decision. In general, the railway problem is a very interesting
issue, which can be in our economic interests. When talk about the
problem started, we said that the Georgian government would not do
anything that is not in its interests. Unfolding events will show what
may be in its interests. However, disseminated reports saying that
permission has been issued and some agreement has been reached are not
true," Rustavi-2 showed Georgian Foreign Minister Maia Panjikidze
saying.
"There was a certain stir raised in our media five or six months ago.
In my opinion, we gave a full answer regarding this problem at that
time. We said that we were not holding talks with Russia on this issue
and we are not talking with Russia on restoring the railway line
across Abkhazia. I can unambiguously confirm the same thing now. As a
rule, such things cannot be concealed. We are not speaking with Russia
on this issue," Georgian Prime Minister's Special Envoy for relations
with Russia Zurab Abashidze told Rustavi-2. "This issue was not at all
discussed within the framework of my dialogue with [Russian Deputy
Foreign Minister] Mr [Grigoriy] Karasin. Therefore, it is difficult
for me to say now, where this information has come from," Abashidze
added. At the same time, Abashidze said that "if there is an
initiative or proposal on Russia's part, we are ready to hear what
their idea of restoring the railway line is". "We are not saying that
we will never speak about it," Abashidze said, adding that "if this
happens, of course, it must happen based on the principle of Georgia's
territorial integrity".
"Georgia's strategic interest lies in implementing the
Kars-Akhalkalaki project, which is already being implemented. This is
a project that connects Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkey with Europe.
It is a serious project that is advantageous for Georgia economically
and geopolitically. It connects Georgia with its strategic partners.
It is a very important project for the whole region and Georgia. It is
important for our sovereignty and our economy," Rustavi-2 showed
Georgian National Security Council Secretary and Georgian President
Mikheil Saakashvili's close ally Giorgi Bokeria saying. "As regards
the idea of restoring this railway line and so forth, this project is
linked to: a) serious risks, because we should be very careful, where
the Russian Federation is our partner; and b) particularly because it
goes across the occupied territory. We should take all these
difficulties into account when implementing this project. In a few
words, the implementation of such a project would be possible if it
were part of a package that resolves the problem of de-occupation,"
Bokeria added, expressing hope that the Georgian government would not
make a "fundamental mistake that would damage our country's
interests".
MP Giorgi Gabashvili of the pro-presidential United National Movement
told Rustavi-2 that Georgia's territories were "occupied" by Russia,
so Georgia's national interests should be taken into account when
discussing such issues. Gabashvili stressed that the opening of the
railway line was "contrary to Georgia's national interests" and added:
"The public should have full and exhaustive information about that. If
something like that has happened, we should not be hearing it from the
Armenian media".
"Our opponents sometimes invent things and then build stories on them.
I do not know precisely the context in which the secretary of the
Armenian Security Council made the statement. but there is one thing
that I know: People thought about restoring the Abkhaz railway and
developing economic projects and of course, they are thinking about
that now too, but you, journalists, are well aware that there can be
and there is no talk about any decision on this issue, given the fact
that it is one thing to discuss something and it is another thing to
make a decision at the government level," MP Viktor Dolidze of the
Georgian Dream coalition told Rustavi-2.