Georgia Urges Russia to Strengthen Controls at Roki Pass

On Septemebr 27 chief of the Georgian Customs Department Giorgi Godabrelidze sent a letter to his Russian counterpart Alexander Zherikhov in which he asked the Russian official to suspend freight transit through the Roki pass, which links Russia?a North Ossetian Republic with Georgia?s breakaway South Ossetia.

?The Customs Department asks you to explain to people that movement in the direction of Tskhinvali [breakaway South Ossetia?s capital] is prohibited. Please take relevant measures to suspend passenger and freight movement in this direction,? the letter reads.

According to an agreement signed by the Georgian and Russian sides in 1993, the Russian side undertakes the responsibility to restrict freight movement through this section of the Russian-Georgian border.

The Georgian side has numerously raised the issue of monitoring the Roki pass and has encouraged OSCE observers to help eradicate smuggling and illegal movement though the Roki pass.