SGS company commissioned with cargo monitoring at the border between Georgia and Russia

Swiss company SGS was commissioned with control of cargo traffic at the border between Georgia, the Russian Federation, Abkhazia and South Ossetia. International monitoring at the border was arranged within the framework of negotiations on Russia’s joining World Trade Organization (WTO).

On November, 9, Russia and Georgia signed a bilateral agreement on customs administration and monitoring merchandise trade. On November, 10, protocols of joining were approved at a session of a work group on Russia’s joining WTO in Geneva. On November, 15, the Government of the Russian Federation sanctioned the project of an agreement with Georgia on customs administration.

It is planned to carry out control with electronic instrumentation in three corridors through which all the people and goods crossing the border will pass.

According to President of Switzerland Micheline Calmy-Rey, the idea of creating customs corridors instead of stationary customs was suggested by Swiss diplomatic community which allowed to find a way out of a complex situation in negotiations of Russia and Georgia, “Le Temps” reports. The fact of commissioning a private company with organization of the customs service is unprecedented, the newspaper remarks.

SGS company was founded in 1878. Its headquarters is located in Geneva and the number of its offices all over the world exceeds one thousand, PIK TV channel reports.