YEREVAN. – There was no political reasons behind the problems at the Upper Lars checkpoint on Russia-Georgia border, Armenian Transport Minister Ashot Hakobyan said.

According to him, having visited the Upper Lars during the huge queues of vehicles, the employees of the ministry of transport were convinced that representatives of Russian transport ministry, customs and border agencies of Russia were on the ground and ready to discuss joint engineering solutions for the expansion of the checkpoint.

The minister noted that the geographical location of the Upper Lars – which is the only land route for Armenian vehicles to reach Russia – does not allow building an unlimited number of checkpoints.

“We were convinced that there was no political reason behind the problems at the Upper Lars checkpoint. This is our only route. During the construction of the Upper Lars, the railway operated through Abkhazia. Nobody could calculate that Batumi will become a major tourist center,” Ashot Hakobyan said.

He added that most of those standing in long queues are Russian tourists, the Armenians make only 25 percent of those waiting.