Russian Firm to Operate and Invest $100 Million in Abkhazia Airport

The Republic of Abkhazia and Russian airport operator, Novaport agreed on July 22 on a deal for Novaport to operate the airport in Sukhum, Abkhazia.  The deal involves an expected investment of $100 million.  Novaport believes that the airport will see 250,000 passengers by 2015.  It is viewed as an alternative airport for the 2014 Winter Olympics to Sochi/Adler.  The airport in Sukhum has the longest runway in the Caucasus region.  I was told by an airport development expert in 2010 that Sukhum's airport is ideally situated geographically and because of its length to be an important transportation hub for flights not only to and from Russia, but also North America, Europe, Central Asia, the Persian Gulf and the Caucasus.  

This is welcome news and because the redevelopment of the airport makes Abkhazia more accessible, it will also make the country more attractive for other commercial development.  Currently, tourists come by car, bus, train or fly to Sochi/Adler and cross the border into Abkhazia.  Just this summer, the rail line was rebuilt and passenger service was reinstated from Russia to Sukhum.

Marussia Virgin Racing at Formula Sochi Speed Festival

Today, I was invited by the crew of Marussia Virgin Racing to watch as they prepared for tomorrow's Speed Festival in Sochi.  The crew generously allowed me to talk with them and photograph their preparations.  Many onlookers watched as Red Bull, Lotus Renault and Marussia Virgin Racing prepared for Sunday's event.  The circuit used tomorrow will be a temporary one.  Sochi's Formula 1 Race Course is being prepared around the Olympic Village in Adler and is not yet avalable.  There is a great deal of interest in Formula 1 Racing in Sochi and Russia as momentum builds towards the first Formula 1 Race to be held in Russia in 2014.

Gino Gelato at Brigantina Restaurant, Sochi

Tonight I attended the grand opening of Gino Gelato in Sochi.  Gino Gelato is the latest addition to the Brigantina Restaurant owned by French father and son restauranteurs, Marcel and Bastien Simonneau.Using Italian technology and the freshest locally grown products, they are making the best ice cream in south Russia.  Their mostly local clientele was lined up to try watermelon, chocolate,mango, celery, pear and strawberry gelato.  Judging by the reaction, the Simonnos will be very busy keeping up with demand.  The Brigantina is located in the Megafone building at the port in Sochi.  The menu features many  French and Italian dishes and one of the patrons told me the pizza was his favorite in Sochi.

Bastien and Marcel also own Napoleon Cafe a few blocks away on Vorovskovo Street and sell French pastries and gelato there.

U.S. Meddling

There have been reports in recent months of several nations considering recognizing Abkhazia and/or South Ossetia.  This is interesting and not an entirely unexpected development considering that Abkhazia meets the objective and self-imposed standards that many nations have set.  

I have been following the news reports and reading other sources of information.   What is disturbing about this and about Vanuatu's recent recognition (and numerous changes of heart) of Abkhazia is the degree of arm-twisting and medding that American diplomats have apparently resorted to in an effort to prevent this from happening.  All nations should be free to conduct their own foreign policy and the US is certainly free to express its opinion. However, the degree of pressure and manipulation that is being reported in foreign capitals around the world dismays me as an American citizen.   Read Wayne Madsen's excellent article about Washington, Canberra and Auckland spying and manipulating in Vanuatu and the South Pacific.  (Vanuatu even caught an Australian spy copying documents!)  It has been an unseemly and disgusting display. Especially when one hears reports of American diplomats acting extremely undiplomiatically. 

Also, this raises the question in my mind of why the U.S. is willing to go to such extreme lengths to oppose statehood for South Ossetia and Abkhazia.  I am well aware that the U.S. regards Georgia as an ally, but the degree of effort and pressure being expended to prevent recognition does not seem commensurate with the situation in the Caucasus or the relationship with Georgia.   It is unseemly for the leadership of one nation, Georgia, to constantly use the diplomats of another, the U.S., for its own ends.  And embarassing for both parties.

As an American, I believe in fair play.  Where is the American sense of fair play here?  It seems that even if the U.S. disagrees with independence, fair play dictates that every nation makes its own decisions.   Lobbying For the American position may be appropriate, but even that activity must have limits.  The strength of the U.S. opposition to recognition seems only one step removed from the diplomatic opposition if another nation was on the verge of acquring nuclear weapons. The U.S. actions suggest that the State Department can not imagine another side to Georgia's argument (it is hard to believe they are not at least aware of the historical and cultural reasons for Abkhazia's independence).

Summer In Sochi

There is no better street in south Russia to spend a Sunday summer afternoon walking than Sochi's Vorovskovo Ulitsa.  The street is absolutely in the center with the train station near one end, the Hotel Moskva (Moscow) near the other and the seaport and beachwalk nearby.  There are a number of cafes, restaurants and shops on the tree-lined street and it is only about 3 blocks from there to the river and its embankment. Yesterday, I walked the embankment and watched the people enjoying the warm summer evening from cafes and restaurants overlooking the river.  While there is a similarity to the riverside scenes of the beautiful central European capitals of Prague and Budapest, Sochi has a uniquely Russian resort feel.

Top 6 things about Vorovskovo Street:

6) The kvas vendors at street corners.  On hot days they rapidly sell inexpensive kvas and lemonade 

5) The trees and flowering bushes lining the street

4) Fruit stands selling fresh fruit

3) French-owned Napoleon Cafe with its excellent French pastries and (recently added) Italian ice cream

2) Views of Sochi, the Black Sea and Caucasus Mountains from apartment buildings

1) Nearby river and embankment with just the right number of families, couples and exercisers between the river and the shade of the trees