Prime Minister of Georgia on opening the Abkhazian Section of Railway

Yerevan/17.01.13/Turan-ArmInfo:  Georgia is ready to restore the Abkhazian section of the railway (that connects Armenia and Russia), however, the solution depends on Russia's stance, said Prime Minister of Georgia Bidzina Ivanishvili in a joint press conference with Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan in Yerevan, on Jan 17. 

He believes that restoration of the given section of the railway is possible only after settlement of a number of problems relating to the territorial integrity of Georgia. 

"I think it is possible. You know that Georgia and Armenia have no problems with each other, but we still have big problems with Russia. The most problematic issue is the territorial integrity of Georgia, but that issue is unlikely to be settled soon," Ivanishvili said. 

For his part, Prime Minister of Armenia Tigran Sargsyan said that railway communication was discussed at today's meeting. Armenia is interested in the settlement of the issue, he said. 

"We will exert big efforts for efficient operation of the railway and for settlement of the given issue," Sargsyan said.

Opening of the Abkhazian-Georgian section of the railway is of strategic importance for Armenia, for it is the shortest and the least expensive way to Russia. The railway communication via Abkhazia was suspended after the conflict of 1992-1993. -0-