EN
30 October 2006 - 11:13 AMT

Commersant: Moscow May Enable Pressure of Armenia upon Georgia

One of leading Russian newspapers, the Commersant believes that Moscow may enable pressure of Armenia on Georgia. An article published on Monday concerns the visit of Armenian President to Moscow October 30-31.

Robert Kocharian met with Russian President Putin on Monday. The newspaper supposes Georgia will be the subject of conversation. “The Kremlin is looking for tools to influence Georgian President Saakashvili. Tbilisi fears that one of the tools to influence Georgia may be suspension of electric power supplies from Russia and Armenia. Georgia will be in a catastrophic position then,” the Commersant writes. The article does not rule out Moscow asking Armenia to organize “small disorders” in the southern province of Samtskhe-Javakheti, where some 200 thousand Armenians live.

Georgian experts do not rule out these developments, as Armenia depends on Russia in the political and economic respects. At the same time Armenia cannot have a confrontation with Georgia, as it is the only way, linking with Russia and European countries.

“Russia has already appropriated Iran-Armenia gas pipeline and the Hrazdan thermal electric power plant. Now Russia works to appropriate the rail network of Armenia. Yerevan is going to organize a tender for conveying ownership of the railway for 30 years, but President Putin will try to persuade his Armenian counterpart the tender is not necessary and Russia will take care of the railway of Armenia,” reports Prime News.