JAMnews: Georgia in no hurry to demine border with Azerbaijan

The HALO Trust expects permission from Georgia to clear mines in a seven-kilometre section of its border, where, according to the organization, the mines were laid by Azerbaijani soldiers during the war with Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijan puts pressure on Georgia and prevents demining, experts believe.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that in January 2002, Nino Burjanadze, the chair of the Georgian Parliament, stated that Azerbaijan had mined the border territory of Georgia. Ramiz Melikov, the chief of the press service for the Ministry of Defence (MoD), categorically denied the information.

More than 1000 mines are laid along a 100-meter section of the border near the villages, where more than 4000 people live, the JAMnews reports.

On April 5, 2013, Sarkhan Musaev, who was looking for a cow in the area, stepped on a mine and lost his foot. According to him, apart from a pension of 100 laris per month (about 40 US dollars), the state does not render any assistance to him.

According to local shepherds, in summer, it is difficult to notice mines because of the grass.

Isa Sadygov, the former Deputy Minister of Defence of Azerbaijan, has said that the area was mined by Azerbaijani soldiers to prevent the passage of soldiers from Armenia through Georgia.

The HALO Trust, a non-commercial organization, had to abandon the programme of mine clearance in the area, reported Irakli Chitanava, a manager from the NGO.

The works on the border with Azerbaijan are to be stopped until a final decision on the issue will be made, the Georgian Ministry of Defence reports.