The opening of the Upper Lars checkpoint depends in Russia’s consent to lift, or at least mitigates, the embargo on Georgian products, Shirak Torosyan, the Head of the Javakhk Union and member of the RA Parliament, told NEWS.am.

He stressed that Armenia is the first to get economic benefits from the opening of the checkpoint, as it is the only road connecting Armenia with Russia. “Moreover, almost simultaneous opening of the Armenian-Turkish border and the Upper Lars checkpoint ill create transit competition in the region, which, in turn, cause a fall in cargo transportation prices both in Georgia and in Turkey,” Torosyan said.

The Armenian, Russian and Georgian Foreign Offices confirmed a trilateral meeting in Yerevan, which discussed the opening of the Upper Lars checkpoint, with Armenia acting as mediator. A source at the Georgian Foreign Office pointed out that Georgia will open the checkpoint provided Russia removed the embargo on Georgian products. In its turn, the Russian Foreign Office refutes Georgia’s preconditions. The Armenian Foreign Office welcomed the possibility of a compromise.

The land border between Russia and Georgia was closed in 2006 after Russian officers were arrested in Tbilisi on a charge of espionage. Russia imposed an embargo on Georgian products and closed the Upper Lars checkpoint pleading the construction of a new terminal. Late last year, Moscow informed the Georgian Foreign Office that the construction had been completed and the terminal designed to serve 400 vehicles daily opened. The Georgian side, however, demanded negotiations in Geneva, through Swiss mediation, which proved unacceptable to Moscow.