Russia reopens borders with Azerbaijan, Georgia following security-related
suspension
AP Worldstream
Oct 22, 2004
Russia reopened its borders with Georgia and Azerbaijan on Friday
after more than a monthlong hiatus due to Moscow’s fears of terrorism.
Russia closed the border with Georgia in early September, following
the seizure of hundreds of hostages in a school in southern Russia,
and with Azerbaijan in mid-September. Border officials in those
countries confirmed that traffic had begun traveling in both
directions on Friday.
The closed border affected not only Georgia and Azerbaijan but also
their Caucasus neighbor Armenia, which depends significantly on Russia
for some supplies amid tense relations with Azerbaijan and Turkey
because of the unresolved conflict over the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave.
Located in Azerbaijan, the enclave has been under control of ethnic
Armenian forces for more than a decade. A cease-fire was signed in
1994 after Azerbaijani forces were driven out in a six-year war but
the enclave’s final status has not been resolved.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress