Russia and Georgia re-open the border
Moscow. One and a half years after the war in the Southern Caucasus between Russia and Georgia in August 2008, the two countries have re-opened their only direct border crossing at the Darial gorge. There are still no diplomatic relations between the two countries and no scheduled air transport. Georgia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Nino Kalandadse said in Tiflis that the opening was praiseworthy but should not be seen as a warming of relations between the two former enemies. The border crossing was re-opened for traffic yesterday. It is the only border crossing that does not go through the Russian-backed breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, but directly through Russia. Georgia lost control over the two territories after the bloodshed in 2008. Russia recognized the regions as independent states, despite protests from the EU and the USA, and stationed thousands of soldiers there to protect them. (tk)