Russian, Abkhaz Experts Assess Railway

A group of Russian and Abkhaz experts began assessing the current condition of the railway in breakaway Abkhazia on August 10, the Abkhaz news agency Apsnipress reported.

Georgian experts were to join their counterparts from Russia and Abkhazia on August 9, but, as officials in Tbilisi explain, the Abkhaz side refused to grant entry to several Georgian experts who are internally displaced persons from Abkhazia.

However, Apsnipress quoted Abkhaz Vice-Premier Leonid Lakerbaia as saying that the Abkhaz side has no information as to the reason of the Georgian experts? absence. ?The Georgian side has no well-founded reason for being absent,? he said, adding ?It seems that politics has prevailed over economics once again.?

The report does not say anything about the Georgian side?s claims that the Abkhaz side refused entry to those three Georgian experts who are IDPs.

Tbilisi?s plans regarding the railway issue remain unclear as of yet. According to the office of the Georgian State Minister for Conflict Resolution Issues, Georgian railway experts will depart for Abkhazia in the coming days, though it is unknown whether the IDPs will be among them or not. According to the Georgian Railway Company the experts do not plan to leave for Abkhazia yet.

Meanwhile, according to the Apsnipress, the 26-member group of Abkhaz and Russian experts have started assessment works in Gagra and Sokhumi, as well as inspection of the bridge over the Psou River on Abkhaz section of the Russo-Georgian border.

This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)