CIS states to stage antiterrorist air defence exercise in October
Interfax-AVN military news agency web site
23 Sep 04
Moscow
Protection of airspace of the CIS member states, including from air
terrorism, will be refined in the course of the command post exercise
(CPX) to be held by the countries’ unified air defence system, Lt-Gen
Aytech Bizhev, Russian air force deputy commander-in-chief, told
Interfax-AVN on Thursday [23 September].
“Ten missions will be practised during the CPX scheduled for October,
aimed to improve protection of airspace of the CIS members,” he
said. He added that the issues of command and control and liaison in
case of air terrorism situation would also be practised.
According to him, the CPX will see the participation of Armenia,
Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan,
as well as Ukraine on bilateral basis. “Air force Commander-in-Chief
Vladimir Mikhaylov will exercise command and control of the CPX from
the Central Command Post of the Russian air force,” he said.

Russia’s Gazprom seen as aiming to buy Georgian pipelines
Rustavi-2 TV, Tbilisi
23 Sep 04
[Presenter] Gazprom representatives who arrived in Georgia yesterday
are currently at the Economic Development Ministry where they are
meeting [Economic Development Minister] Kakha Bendukidze’s deputy. The
director of Tbilgazi [Tbilisi gas distribution company], Davit
Morchiladze, is also at the talks.
There are reports that Gazprom is prepared to pay 300m dollars to take
control of Georgia’s trunk gas pipelines. There is also speculation
that there are plans to privatize Tbilgazi, although none of the
parties involved has yet confirmed this information.
The meeting at the ministry has been going on for more than two
hours. Our correspondent Giorgi Kalandadze is there and can tell us
more about Gazprom’s secret plans.
[Correspondent] About 300m dollars is the sum that Gazprom intends to
pay for control of Georgia’s trunk gas pipelines. According our
information, Gazprom needs these pipelines primarily to carry gas from
Iran’s huge deposits to Europe via Georgia. In relation to this issue,
there were reports in the Russian media recently that Gazprom is
trying to sell Iranian gas to Europe and for that reason the
construction of a pipeline between Iran and Armenia has been under
way, while pipelines between Armenia, Georgia, Russia and Western
Europe already exist.
For this plan to come to fruition, Gazprom and Russia need Georgia’s
agreement. About one year ago this subject came up for discussion and
a decision was taken then that it would be possible to set up a joint
enterprise, Gruzrosgazprom, or Sakrusgazmretsvi in Georgian, with the
shares split 50-50 and Gazprom representing Russia.
[Presenter] Giorgi, late last night the Gazprom delegation also met
the prime minister [Zurab Zhvania]. Is anything known about this
meeting?
[Correspondent] The meeting lasted several hours, starting at around
9.30 p.m. The energy and economic development ministers also attended
the meeting with the Gazprom delegation. Nothing about this meeting is
known as yet, although they did not conclude their discussions. It is
possible there will be another meeting with the prime minister today,
although an exact time is not yet known. The Gazprom representatives
intend to leave Georgia this evening.

Azeri speaker, Austrian chief prosecutor discuss Karabakh
ANS TV, Baku
22 Sep 04

[Presenter] Austrian Prosecutor-General Walter Presslauer, who is
visiting Baku, sees a solution to the Karabakh problem through
court. He has said this at a meeting with Azerbaijani Speaker Murtuz
Alasgarov.
[Correspondent, over video of the meeting] As a representative of the
justice system, I think that the parties to the conflict should appeal
to court to achieve the solution. The court should support justice,
Austrian Prosecutor-General Walter Presslauer told Azerbaijani Speaker
Murtuz Alasgarov. He said that the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict should
be solved in line with international legal norms.
[Presslauer, speaking German with Azeri voice-over] We hope that the
conflict will soon be resolved within the framework of the
OSCE. Displaced persons should be allowed to return homes. The
principle of inviolability of borders is Austria’s priority as well.
[Correspondent, over video] Speaker Murtuz Alasgarov said that
Azerbaijan denounces aggressive separatism and drew the guest’s
attention to the fact that international organizations have been
neglecting the Nagornyy Karabakh problem. He again criticized the
OSCE Minsk Group which is mediating a settlement of the conflict over
Nagornyy Karabakh.
[Alasgarov] In general, we are very much unhappy with the activities
of the OSCE and its Minsk Group. They should know that Armenia is an
aggressor state. If international organizations do not call a spade a
spade, then the solution is impossible.
[Correspondent, over video] Alasgarov is convinced that Austria as an
influential country in Europe, will support Azerbaijan’s just cause.
Afat Telmanqizi, Ramil Huseynov, ANS.

Glendale News Press
LATimes.com
Sept 23 2004
Council takes a glance inward

Incumbents try to gauge how recent Americana vote will affect their
reelection bids.
By Josh Kleinbaum, News-Press
GLENDALE – Even before Mayor Bob Yousefian’s reelection campaign ever
made it out of the garage, he said his critics began taking aim.
Yousefian joined an intense campaign supporting a controversial
outdoor mall proposal, which voters narrowly approved Sept. 14. He
believes the campaign against the project turned into a personal
attack on him.
“This was not about the [Americana at Brand],” Yousefian said. “It
was, ‘Let’s attack Bob, let’s attack Bob to weaken Bob for the next
election.’ That’s OK. I expected this. When I made a decision to go
into the Armenian community and talk about the facts, I knew going in
what I was signing up for. I have never been afraid of standing up
for what I believe is right. That has been my history.”
As the dust settles from the most expensive municipal campaign in
Glendale history – Glendale Galleria owner General Growth Properties
and developer Rick Caruso dumped more than $4 million into the
campaigns over the Americana – three City Council members are trying
to determine how it will affect their reelection campaigns.
“My wife told me, if I lose, I have to go out and get a job,”
Councilman Dave Weaver said, laughing. “That’s motivation to get
reelected.”
Council members invested significant political cache in the election
over the Americana, and that could play a major role in April, when
three of them are up for reelection.
Yousefian became the most vocal cheerleader for the project leading
up to the election, especially within the city’s Armenian-American
community.
Weaver contributed with comments at public meetings and letters to
local newspapers supporting the Americana.
Frank Quintero, the lone dissenter on the council, remained quiet in
public for most of the campaign, but was active behind the scenes,
encouraging critics of the project to be vocal and persistent.
With the election seven months away, battle lines have been drawn.
“Obviously, it’s going to be Mr. Quintero against the rest of us,”
Weaver said. “Mr. Quintero said he didn’t like the financial terms.
I’ll argue that [Americana] project was never intended to be an
economic project. We entered it to give the people of Glendale a town
center.”
Quintero did not return messages seeking comment.
Each of the incumbents has weaknesses that can be exploited during an
election.
During the Americana election, critics tried to paint Yousefian as a
flip-flopper because he changed his mind on the project in early
March.
Those accusations are sure to resurface in the City Council election.
“He put himself in real jeopardy, in my opinion,” said Vrej
Agajanian, host of an Armenian-language television show who
criticized Yousefian during the campaign. “He should not have gotten
deeply involved. It angered the Armenian community.”
Agajanian, rumored to be running for City Council, too, said he has
not considered it.
Of the three incumbents, Weaver has had the most trouble raising
funds. In the first reporting period, Yousefian raised $63,594 and
Quintero raised $39,133, while Weaver amassed $8,500.
And Quintero will have to answer questions about his political
future. He has long discussed a possible run at state Assembly in
2006. If he wins such an election, he must vacate his council seat.
Councilman Gus Gomez, who is running for Superior Court Judge in
November, has been criticized for a similar decision.
“If we lose and if we don’t get elected, and there’s a whole new
group coming to the city, so be it,” Yousefian said. “The city will
survive. The city has a life of its own. It’s not dependent on one,
two or three council members.”

Los Angeles Times
Sept 23 2004
Civil Rights Suffer as Fear, Anger Grow in Russia

After several bombings and a school hostage crisis, police in Moscow
have arrested 11,000 — most of them from the North Caucasus.
By Kim Murphy, Times Staff Writer
MOSCOW – Magomed Tolboyev is a retired Russian air force colonel and
a decorated test pilot who flew under the cosmonaut program. He is a
recipient of his nation’s highest honor, the Hero of Russia award.
But on Sept. 8, none of that could compensate for his dark hair and a
passport that shows he was born in Dagestan, one of the turbulent
republics of the North Caucasus. Police at a downtown subway station
demanded Tolboyev’s documents, as they do of many Caucasian-looking
people these days in the wake of attacks linked to Chechen and other
Caucasian insurgents. The officers then grabbed him by his shirt and
choked him until he almost passed out.

“As an officer, I was deeply insulted,” Tolboyev said Wednesday. “I
told them their age is small enough to be one of my children. And
that they should salute a colonel when they talk to one, and not
stand there nibbling sunflower seeds…. But I knew these cops could
bundle me into their car, take me away and simply kill me.”
Tolboyev got an apology from Moscow’s police chief. But thousands of
other people haven’t been as fortunate. In recent days, more than
11,000 people – many of them Caucasians – have been rounded up by
police on charges of living in the capital without legal
registration.
Nearly 900 had been deported by midweek, and reviews of other cases
were pending. City officials acknowledge that it often can be
difficult for Caucasians to obtain the proper documents, which
require exhausting paperwork and a large bribe. But public objections
to the arrests have been nearly absent.
“I can say that Russia is really standing on its ears right now.
Everybody’s worried. Everybody’s in shock,” said Vsevolod Krasnikov,
a 19-year-old student in Moscow. “First of all, we need to establish
real law and order in Chechnya, because most of the terrorists come
from Chechnya. And then we should lock the borders and check out
everybody who tries to come here.”
“Russia is for Russians, and Moscow is for Muscovites,” fellow
student Denis Bely said.
In a survey last month – before a bombing at a Moscow subway, the
near-simultaneous crashes of two jetliners and a mass hostage-taking
at a school blamed on Chechen insurgents – 46% of Russians in 128
cities favored limits on where natives of the Caucasus can reside.
Some Moscow legislators now want to prohibit Caucasians from even
entering Russia’s capital during periods of insurgent violence.
“The Constitution defines 31 rights and freedoms, and I think the
most important right and freedom is the right to life,” said Moscow
city legislator Yury Popov, who proposed the temporary ban. “While I
see that realistically we can’t ensure for all Muscovites this
particular right, I think we have a moral obligation to temporarily
restrict some other less important rights … to ensure this most
important right, to life.”
For years, visitors from Chechnya and the surrounding republics have
been subject to special scrutiny by Moscow police. But in the last
two weeks, since the school siege in Beslan in the Caucasian republic
of North Ossetia, police have stepped up their inquiries.
Some said they try to stop nearly everyone of Caucasian appearance –
meaning dark-haired and dark-skinned.
“I look for faces of people from the Caucasus. Dagestanis, Chechens,
people like that. First of all, I stop him and check his ID. If his
ID looks basically OK on the spot, I still take him [to the subway
police office] for further questioning,” said Danila Kuliyev, a
junior police sergeant in north Moscow whose father is from the
Caucasus.
Kuliyev said it would be a “good idea” to evict Caucasians from
Moscow – though he didn’t mention his own family. “If you take them
away from the markets and everywhere, it will make the work of the
police easier and much more reliable,” he said.
About 5 a.m. Tuesday, police barged into a hotel room where Zalina
Dzandarova and her two children, all of whom had been held hostage in
the school at Beslan, were sleeping. The family was in Moscow to
visit Dzandarova’s sister-in-law, who was hospitalized with serious
injuries suffered in the attack.
“I said, ‘Are you looking for terrorists? If you are, you came to the
wrong place. Don’t you know we are from Beslan, that we are victims
of terrorists?’ ” Dzandarova said.
“I’m sorry,” one officer replied. “We have our instructions.” Then
they proceeded to search the family’s bags and peer under the beds.
In addition to intense police scrutiny, Caucasians apparently are
also being targeted by thugs. On Saturday, about 30 young men entered
a subway car and attacked three Caucasians, beating them severely.
“They were picking out the dark-skinned people, but when such a big
fight started, other people got beaten, too,” said Bagrat Pogosian,
an Armenian refugee from Azerbaijan who suffered a deep knife wound
to his shoulder in the attack.
“I screamed, ‘Brothers, kill the bastards!’ But people were scared,
and they were running away…. I went to the very back of the car and
started fighting back as strongly as I could. They stabbed at me
several times.”
The other victims, he said, “were beaten up, really, to a pulp.”
Pogosian, recuperating at a Moscow hospital, said the attackers wore
steel-toed boots of the type favored by skinheads.
“The way they entered the car, the way they ran away, the way they
were obeying orders of the leaders, they were very well-organized,”
he said. “Basically, they were terrorists without explosives.”
Popov, the Moscow legislator, has proposed making it easier for
newcomers to the city to register legally and imposing heavy fines on
employers who hire illegal workers. City statistics, he said, show
that 49% of crimes are committed by non-Muscovites – an argument, he
said, for his proposal to allow the city to temporarily close its
borders to residents of “certain areas.”
Though his bill is on hold, Popov said the federal Interior Ministry
had assured him that “they included a lot of my bill” in its proposed
anti-terrorism legislation, part of a still-unpublished package of
measures under discussion in parliament.
Some Russians worry about what may emerge. “If we start deporting
people back to the Caucasus, we will live in a totally different
state,” said professor Boris Chernyak, 79. “It will be a mono-ethnic
state, and a very dangerous one.”

Kurdish Media
Sept 23 2004
Remembering Musa Anter

23/09/2004 KurdishMedia.com
London (KurdishMedia.com) 23 September 2004: Musa Anter, known to
millions of Kurds as Apê (Uncle) Musa, was born around 1918 in the
village of Zivinge in Nusaybin.
He never knew his true year of birth. He was first registered as born
in 1924, and his year of birth was later legally changed to 1920.
However, told by his mother that he was born right after the Armenian
Genocide, he believed he was born in either 1917 or 1918.
His family, like many in this area, had relatives in the Turkish and
Syrian-occupied segments of Kurdistan.
In his simple village, where the only drinking water available was
that collected from the rain, Apê Musa grew up hearing oral accounts
of various events in Kurdish history, tales of persecution and
bravery.
Apê Musa became an activist writer, fighting for justice for his
people peacefully using the written word. He was one of the most
prominent journalists of the pro-Kurdish newspaper Ozgur Gundem and
Chairman of the Mesopotamian Cultural Center in Istanbul, and was
widely regarded as one of the most knowledgeable men in the nation on
Kurdish culture.
On September 20, 1992, Apê Musa was the fifth member of the Ozgur
Gundem staff to be assassinated, murdered by a Turkish death squad in
the city of Amed (Diyarbakir).
Lured from a hotel room by a telephone call and then shot four times
by an assassin pretending to be a taxi cab driver, Apê Musa became a
martyr in the embattled capital of Kurdistan, where he was visiting
to sign books for a cultural festival.
Twelve years later, as Kurds in all parts of Kurdistan continue to
fight for the simple right to live as Kurds, Apê Musa’s memory lives
on.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AzerNews, Azerbaijan
Sept 23 2004
Bulgarian President to visit Azerbaijan

Numerous visits by official Bulgarian and Azerbaijani delegations are
expected in late September-early October, Charge D’affaires of
Bulgaria in Azerbaijan Ivan Palchev told journalists.
On September 27, an Azeri parliament delegation led by speaker Murtuz
Alasgarov will leave for Sofia on a four-day visit. On October 6,
Baku will host a meeting of the inter-governmental commission on
economic cooperation, co-chaired by the Deputy Prime Ministers of
Bulgaria Nikolay Vasilyev and Azerbaijan Abid Sharifov. On October
7-8, Bulgarian President Georgi Pirvanov is scheduled to pay an
official visit to Azerbaijan. He will arrive in Baku with his wife
Zorka Pirvanova after visiting Armenia on October 5-6. A number of
documents are to be signed during President Privanov’s visit.
The parties have already coordinated inter-governmental agreements on
collaboration in the area of international cargo transportation and
commercial navigation. Work on an agreement on mutually protecting
and encouraging investments is also underway, while a document on
eliminating double taxation is to be prepared by the time President
Ilham Aliyev visits Bulgaria next year. An agreement between the
state news agencies of Azerbaijan, AzerTaj, and of Bulgaria, BTA,
will be signed in Baku as well. Palchev said that currently the legal
framework of cooperation between Azerbaijan and Bulgaria includes
only 12 documents, which does not reflect the potential for bilateral
relations. The turnover of goods between the two countries makes up
only $4 million, excluding $17 million paid by Bulgaria for
Azerbaijani oil this year. The diplomat also supported Bulgaria’s
extensive involvement in the transportation of Caspian oil through
its territory. An Azeri-Bulgarian business forum will be held during
the Bulgarian President’s visit. The Bulgarian embassy is also
preparing to open a Center of Economic Information in Baku. Palchev
also said that great opportunities exist for developing cooperation
in the area of agriculture, and that Bulgarian companies could act as
contractors for developing relevant infrastructure in Azerbaijan.
Touching upon political issues, the Bulgarian diplomat said his
country supports Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity. He refuted
numerous press reports that Bulgaria is selling weaponry to Armenia.
“Until the Upper Garabagh conflict is resolved, Bulgaria will not
cooperate with Azerbaijan or Armenia in the military field.” Palchev
continued that Bulgaria’s Defense Ministry successfully interacts
with the defense ministries of Azerbaijan and Armenia, but this is
confined to technical collaboration. Azerbaijani Defense Minister
Safar Abiyev is expected to pay an official visit to Sofia late in
October to discuss with his Bulgarian counterpart prospects for
cooperation. Palchev added that Sofia continues to adhere to its
position on the Upper Garabagh conflict and believes that
“Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity must be preserved, and granting
any status to Upper Garabagh is a prerogative of Azerbaijan”.
Bulgarian Culture Center
The opening ceremony of a Bulgarian Culture Center will be held at
the Baku Slavic University in October and attended by Bulgarian
President Privanov. The goal of the new entity is to expand relations
between Azerbaijan and Bulgaria in the area of science, education and
culture, a source from the University said. Considering the fact that
Bulgarian language is taught only at the Slavic University, the new
center will provide students with an opportunity to become closely
familiar with the country’s culture, language, politics, and economy.

OFFICE OF THE NAGORNO KARABAKH REPUBLIC IN THE USA
122 C Street, NW, Suite 360, Washington, D.C. 20001
Tel: (202) 347-5166
Fax: (202) 347-5168
E-mail: [email protected]
Web site:
PRESS RELEASE
September 23, 2004
NKR ISSUES PROMOTIONAL BROCHURE TO SUPPORT TALENTED CHILDREN OF ARTSAKH
WASHINGTON, DC – The Office of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic in the United
States today announced the release of a unique brochure, featuring quality
photographs of pristine landscapes, beautiful architecture and faces of
Artsakh. Printed in France, this high-quality brochure also contains
information on Artsakh, in both English and French.
Proceeds from this project will benefit talented children of Artsakh through
scholarships and grants to participate in international competitions.
Currently, these gifted students are deprived of any other source of
financial aid. They need your support to receive the education and
international exposure necessary to fully develop their potential, and
contribute to building a better future for our Homeland.
Already in circulation in Europe, the brochure will also raise awareness
about Artsakh and promote tourism to this ancient Armenian land.
The brochure is priced at $10.00, which includes the shipment within the
continental U.S. Five dollars from the sale of every brochure will benefit
talented children of Artsakh. The rest will cover production expenses.
To order your copy of the brochure, please send a check payable to the NKR
Office with a note `NK Brochure.’ Provide your full name, mailing address
and telephone number.
We also call on organizations and individuals to become distributors.
Discount rates are available.
The Office of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic in the United States is based in
Washington, DC and works with the U.S. government, academia and the public
representing the official policies and interests of the Nagorno Karabakh
Republic.
* * *
Photos: quality electronic images of the brochure can be requested by
sending an email to [email protected]
This material is distributed by the Office of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic
in the USA on behalf of the Government of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic. The
NKR Office is registered with the U.S. Government under the Foreign Agent
Registration Act. Additional information is available at the Department of
Justice, Washington, D.C.

Zaman, Turkey
Sept 23 2004
Armenians Take ‘No’ Campaign to Brussels
Selcuk Gultasli
Brussels
The European Armenians Congress brought its “No to Turkey” campaign
to Brussels.
The European media showed great interest in a meeting held as part of
the group’s campaign just hours prior to Turkish Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdogan’s critical Brussels trip.
A Turkish citizen named Hulya Engin, as well as two members of the
European Parliament, spoke at yesterday’s meeting. The speakers
advocated that recognition of the (So-Called) Armenian Genocide
should be imposed as a condition to the start of Turkey’s membership
discussions. They also argued that Turkey is responsible for Greek
and Syriac genocides.
A declaration related to the discussion was released after the
meeting. The fact that Ergin, a representative of the Turkey
Democracy and Human Rights Solidarity Association, attached her
signature to the document drew quite a bit of attention.
Michalis Charalambidis, a Greek, claimed during the meeting that the
second genocide of last century was the Pontus-Greek massacre. He
even tried to equate Kemalism with Nazism. “Nazi Victims Day exits in
Europe. A day should be declared for the victims of Kemalism as
well.”
EP member Baroness Caroline Cox defended that Turkey should not only
recognize the Armenian, but also the Greek and Syriac genocides.

Civil Georgia, Georgia
Sept 23 2004
Georgia’s Visa, Border Burden with Russia
Nino Khutsidze, Civil Georgia / 2004-09-23 16:51:01
Over 60 Georgian citizens have already been denied entry into
Moscow by Russian border guard officials who have cited visa
irregularities. Meanwhile several hundred trucks remain stuck at the
Russian-Georgian border, which has been closed since early September.
The Georgian Foreign Ministry summoned the Russian Ambassador to
Georgia, Vladimir Chkhikvishvili, on September 21 and handed him a
note demanding that his country explain the reasons behind the
detention of dozens of Georgian passengers in the Moscow airport. The
Georgian Parliamentary Committee for Foreign Affairs also held a
hearing on September 22 regarding this issue.
According to Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister Merab Antadze,
following the Beslan terrorist act Russia has heightened control over
its borders. He said Russian security forces, in cooperation with
border guard officials, launched an operation codenamed `Migrant.’
Checking procedures are being held in hotels, markets and other
places. As the Georgian Foreign Ministry reports, around 800 foreign
citizens have already been deported out of Russia due either to visa
irregularities or for failing to register on time.
Georgian authorities urged the tourist firms, which specialize in
arranging Russian visas, to carefully observe all the visa
requirements. `Under the conditions of the tightened regime, Russian
border guards started verifying compliance of the visa status with
the visitor’s objective, which, eventually, led to the
above-mentioned incidents,’ said Merab Antadze, the Georgian Deputy
Foreign Minister, in an information note issued on September 21.

According to Head of the Georgian Consular Service Giorgi Tabatadze,
the law of the Russian Federation, which regulates the entry of
foreigners into the country, says that in cases of non-compliance of
the visa status with the objective of the visit, the Russian border
guards have the right not to let foreigners through the border.
However, the Georgian side is concerned over the `terrible
conditions’ in which the Georgian citizens detained in the Moscow
airport were kept. Most of the Georgian passengers flew back to
Tbilisi, but around a dozen of these Georgians are reportedly still
in the Moscow airport.
Presently, said Merab Antadze, the Head of the Consular Service of
Georgia to Moscow and other officials from the Embassy are at the
scene in order to address the problems facing the Georgian citizens
in the shortest possible terms.
According to Giorgi Tabatadze, several Georgian passengers have
already applied to the Consular Service of the Georgian Foreign
Ministry wishing to appeal against their detention in the Moscow
airports. Russian border guards have already drawn-up legal papers
for several of these passengers, who may appeal to the courts.
However, most citizens who returned from Moscow have no such legal
documents, they were warned only verbally.
Along with ordinary citizens, the state budget of Georgia is also
suffering great losses, due to particular problems relating to
crossing the Russian border. According to the head of Georgia’s
Customs Northern Department, Kakha Mikeladze, loses from customs
revenues at the Larsi checkpoint during these last 20 days were
between 3 and 4 million Lari.
`Freight traffic was suspended just after the Beslan tragedy. Over
300 trucks remain stuck on both sides of the Russian-Georgian
border,’ chief of Georgia’s Customs Northern Department, Kakha
Mikeladze Kakha Mikeladze told Civil Georgia.

According to the Georgian Customs Department, mainly small
businessmen suffered as a result of the border closing; big
businessmen could redirect their freight to the sea route – towards
the port in Novorossiysk.

Kazbegi is the only land checkpoint with Russia which is controlled
by the Georgian authorities. Despite Russia’s announcement concerning
the closing of its border with Georgia, the South Ossetian section of
the Russo-Georgian border (Roki pass) remains open.

Hence, by closing its borders with the South Caucasus, Russia has
encouraged transit movement to be diverted through breakaway South
Ossetia. Reportedly, traffic of Azeri and Armenian goods via
secessionist South Ossetia has increased recently.

Georgia is not the only country which shares a border with Russia
that has been imposed with border restrictions. Spokesman for the
Russian Foreign Ministry Alexander Yakovenko said on September 22
that particular restrictions will be imposed on the
Russian-Azerbaijani border as well. Yakovenko said these restrictions
are temporary and the usual regime will be restored after `the
situation calms down in the region.’