Tactical maneuvers on Upper Lars

He called to organize a Security Council session on the subject in order to consider it in the context of work. GeorgiaTimes correspondent tried to find out what Tbilisi wants - to open Upper Lars or not?

As Niko Orvelashvili, a Georgian economist told GeorgiaTimes Georgia has definitely no economic gain from opening the checkpoint in view of the economic embargo declared by Russia. There are political advantages though. According to the expert in a way this is a possibility to establish dialogue with Russia, which is necessary nonetheless. 

But the authorities that our interlocutor considers illegitimate since both parliamentary and presidential elections were framed up have no resources for that. "It was Saakashvili's PR action - his promises in Yerevan, as usual. He seems not to realize that". - Orvelashvili said noting that Mikheil Nikolayeavich seldom keeps his promises.

Another Georgian economist - Georgy Khukhashvili - started with irony: "How do our authorities manage to hold negotiations with Yerevan on Upper Lars opening avoiding talks with Moscow at the same time. Only they can do that".

Khukhashvili told about necessity to open the economic border. But it seems the authorities are trying to reconcile the irreconcilable. They haven't found a way to explain to the people why they daily accuse Moscow of all mortal sins almost declaring a crusade against it, and hold negotiations at the same time. Though there are politically grounded arguments in favor of this decision - we must reckon with Armenia's interests, we need to start dialogue with Russia.

As for security fears of Nika Laliashvili, an oppositionist, according to Khukhashvili it looks more like political games. The parliamentary opposition wants to appear implacable. "What security threat can there be if we have Russian troops in Akhalgori, 40 km away from Tbilisi. What stops them from moving further ahead? Or what armed groups will cross the border via a legal track when there are mountain paths?"- Khukhashvili says.

He is sure that official Tbilisi will unseal Upper Lars as soon as the authorities find a new PR move to explain why they are doing it. "The trouble of Georgian politicians is that they don't think in terms of what the state needs but keep sticking to their instantaneous interests. It's not the essence but visibility of domestic stability they really care of", - the expert says. In conclusion he remarks that even Upper Lars opening is unlikely to have any effect on the current state of Georgian-Russian relations.

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Irina Ptashkovskaya