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Armenia Liberty
October 4, 2006
Markarian Warns Of Russian-Georgian Escalation
By Ruzanna Khachatrian
-Markarian admitted that Yerevan is seriously worried
that the Russian-Georgia row, sparked by the arrest in
Tbilisi of four Russian officers on spying charges,
could escalate into a military confrontation.
Armenia has so far been unaffected by Russia’s
blockade of neighboring Georgia but risks being
effectively cut off from the outside world if the
Russian-Georgian crisis continues to escalate, Prime
Minister Andranik Markarian said on Wednesday.
“The blockade is not affecting us yet,” he told
parliament. “Hopefully the situation in Georgia will
not become more complicated.”
Markarian insisted that Armenian companies are still
able to ship goods to and from Russia despite Moscow’s
decision to sever all transport links with Georgia.
The Georgian Black Sea ports of Batumi and Poti
continue to handle Armenian cargos bound for the
Russian market, he said.
Some Armenian companies have claimed the opposite,
saying that they have trouble ferrying their goods to
Russia. But government officials argue that they could
do so via the Ukrainian port of Ilyichevsk that
handles the bulk of Armenian ferry traffic.
Still, Markarian admitted that Yerevan is seriously
worried that the Russian-Georgia row, sparked by the
arrest in Tbilisi of four Russian officers on spying
charges, could escalate into a military confrontation.
He said he discussed the situation earlier on
Wednesday with the visiting U.S. Deputy Assistant
Secretary of State Matthew Bryza and urged the United
States to “take steps” to ease the tensions.
“I told him that if the problem escalates and if
certain processes unfold, Armenia will look like an
island and our security will be in danger,” Markarian
said, speaking during his cabinet’s
question-and-answer session at the National Assembly.
The U.S. and the European Union have urged Moscow and
Tbilisi to show restraint and embark on a dialogue.
They have also criticized the Russian sanctions on
Georgia. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has
made it clear, however, that the blockade will not be
lifted “for the time being.”
Asked by a lawmaker whether Yerevan is ready to
mediate in the dispute, the Armenian premier said: “If
the Russian or Georgian sides make such an offer to
the government of Armenia, we will consider it. But we
have received no such offers.”
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