Georgia refuses passage to trucks loaded with tires headed for Nagorno-Karabakh
Heavy fighting in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh broke out on September 27, killing at least 80 people, including civilians. Photo: screenshot/TV Pirveli.
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Georgian border guards have refused passage to trucks loaded with tires headed for the conflict area of Nagorno-Karabakh via the Georgian-Armenian border late in the evening of September 28.
Ethnic Armenians living in Georgia’s southern districts of Akhalkalaki and Ninotsminda told TV Pirveli today that they began collecting tires, food and medicine in order to help Armenian soldiers fighting in the ongoing military conflict in the Nagorno-Karabakh.
Locals had a verbal dispute with border guards when the trucks were not allowed through, and saying soldiers would use tires to set up trenches in order to protect themselves. Locals also told TV Pirveli that trucks loaded with potatoes and other products were not turned back at the state border, though Georgia did not allow the tires into Armenia.
We were told that the Georgian side does not allow us to send tires and it may take them two days to make a decision…I do not know why ethnic Armenians have been refused to do so. Probably tires are considered weapons which may be used during the conflict," one local from Ninotsminda told TV Pirveli.
Heavy fighting in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh broke out on September 27, killing at least 80 people, including civilians.
TV Pirveli reported that there are special points in Akhalkalaki and Ninotsminda where locals are collecting products, medicines and tires to be sent to Armenia.
Responding to the issue, Georgian Parliament’s Defence Issues Committee head Irakli Sesiashvili has stated that peace and stability in the region is in the interest of Georgia.
Sesiashvili also noted that Georgia has a neutral position regarding the conflict for obvious reasons, as ‘the country has excellent neighborly relations with both conflict sides, Azerbaijan and Armenia’.
Both states respect our position. The territories of Georgia [may not be used] … for military purposes…We have refused to do so for both sides of the conflict. Georgia is analyzing the situation and is ready for all scenarios”, said Sesiashvili.
Nagorno-Karabakh is a landlocked region in south-west Azerbaijan near the south-eastern border of Armenia.
The region is internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan, but controlled by ethnic Armenians.
About one million people were displaced as a result of the 1990s war between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the region and about 30,000 killed.
Georgian ex-President Mikheil Saakashvili, who currently holds Ukrainian citizenship and an official post in Ukraine, has responded to ongoing hostilities between Azerbaijan and Armenia, stating that disputed Nagorno-Karabakh is the ‘sovereign territory of Azerbaijan.’
Georgian officials are concerned with the recent reports of resumed hostilities between the two neighbouring countries of Armenia and Azerbaijan over the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh. The Georgian Foreign Ministry has stated earlier today that the country is ready 'to contribute to de-escalation [of the process] and help establish the peace in the region'.
Georgia says that it does not recognise the recently held elections in Nagorno Karabakh, a disputed region between Azerbaijan and Armenia, and has expressed its support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.
Georgia will do its best to deescalate conflict between its neighbouring countries Armenia and Azerbaijan over the Nagorno-Karabakh territory. These words were spoken by Georgia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Energy Minister Kakha Kaladze.
Amid ongoing fighting between Azerbaijan and Armenia, Georgia has suspended the transit of military cargo through its territory to either country either by land or air. No restrictions apply to transit of civilian goods and other cargo.
German Ambassador to Georgia Hubert Knirsch told journalists yesterday that he welcomes Georgian officials’ readiness to host a meeting between Azerbaijani and Armenian leaders over the Karabakh conflict.
A Tbilisi cathedral hosted an interfaith vigil involving Armenian and Azerbaijani clergy last week as an effort for "peace and reconciliation" amid armed conflict between the two countries in the Karabakh region.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has told Fox News that he wants Azerbaijan to have strategic relations with Armenia like it has with Georgia.