Armenia: Yerevan Hopes for Open Georgian-Russian Border

Armenia's Transportation Ministry is expressing strong support for the opening of Zemo Larsi, a Georgian-Russian border checkpoint that has been closed since 2006. The crossing would be a lifeline for Armenian exports.

In late October, Russian border authorities claimed they were in talks with their Georgian counterparts about opening Zemo Larsi to transit traffic. Russia is Armenia's largest trading partner, but overland rounds between the two countries have been blocked, due to ongoing Georgian-Russian tension [For background see the Eurasia Insight archive].

The Georgian Foreign Ministry has vehemently denied the reports. Deputy Foreign Minister Nino Kalandadze told a November 2 news conference that her office has only held talks with Armenian officials and would agree to an open border with Russia only as a courtesy to Yerevan.

Susana Tonoian, an Armenian Transport Ministry spokesperson, said that Yerevan will not pressure Moscow and Tbilisi to open the border, the Kavkazsky Uzel news service reported on November 3.