This is John Batchster, conversation with my colleague Anato Levin of Quincy Institute. He's in the

caucuses in Georgia, reporting on a new tunnel, a huge new tunnel for trucks passing from Georgia

towards Russia. For trucks from China, he reports. Listen, the Chinese construction to what end?

And what about that long line of trucks going into Russia?

What about sanctions?

What about Georgia wants to join NATO?

Anatoleven, more of this tonight.

Well, the discussion of the railway line is, as far as I know, still frozen because,

you know, that would almost constitute a kind of Georgian recognition of Abkhaz independence,

which they cannot do, will not do.

But, I mean, on the main road up to

the Russian border from Tbilisi, which is in Georgian-held territory, but a huge new tunnel,

I mean, a very, very long one, extraordinarily long.

And a new road is being built by the Chinese.

There's a whole settlement of Chinese workers and engineers there.

And this tunnel is explicitly meant.

It's only going to take trucks.

So it's not a railway tunnel, but it will be a major new route for trade.

Yes.

Going to Russia, going up to Russia from China, you know, via Azerbaijan, perhaps from Iran, from Turkey.

And it's necessary because, as I say, there are huge queues of trucks trying to cross the

Russian border and the existing road isn't big enough for them.

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