MOSCOW. Nov 21 (Interfax-AVN) - Russia does not find it necessary to permit Georgian officials to join control procedures at the Nizhny Zaramag checkpoint, a source in the Russian Foreign Ministry told Interfax.
"We are capable of guaranteeing due control over cargo and passenger traffic at Nizhny Zaramag without outside assistance," the source said.
The source confirmed that Georgia is interested in having its customs and border officials man the checkpoint.
Earlier the Georgian Foreign and Economic Development Ministries issued a statement linking Georgia's support for Russia's accession to the WTO to "legalizing the unlawfully operating checkpoints on the borders with Abkhazia and South Ossetia."
A source at the Georgian Foreign Ministry told Interfax that Tbilisi insists that its relevant officials, customs and border officers, be allowed to the Gantiadi-Adler and Roki-Nizhny Zaramag checkpoints.