Viktor Khristenko, Russian Deputy Prime Minister, has invited Georgia to begin joint efforts to restore a railroad running from Russia through Georgian territory to Armenia. Khristenko made this proposal while meeting with Chair of the Georgian parliament Nino Burjanadze in Moscow on Friday. The Georgian speaker conveyed the concerns and anger felt by her country\'s leadership over the opening of railroad communications between the Russian resort town of Sochi and Abkhazia\'s Sukhumi. Khristenko suggested \"transferring this irritant into another outlet and thinking about restoring the entire railroad,\" Khristenko\'s secretariat told the press. The secretariat recalled that transportation on this railroad was suspended when the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict erupted in 1992. In 1994, CIS member states decided to restore the railroad; Russia\'s share in the project was to be 30%, Georgia\'s 40%, and Armenia\'s 30%. However, this decision has still not been carried out. Russia believes that restoring the railroad could be very important, as it would provide Georgia and Armenia with access to a railroad link with Europe. Khristenko told Burjanadze that Russia sent an extra 150 MWt of electricity to Georgia to stabilize the power supply situation after an accident damaging a Georgian gas pipeline. Khristenko said the gas pipeline, which pumps supplies to Georgia, will shortly be restored. The Russian deputy prime minister suggested establishing regular joint efforts between the two countries in the fuel and energy sector and implementing projects that Georgia has frozen. Georgia\'s debt to Russia for power and gas supplies presently adds up to more than $160 million, the secretariat said. Unified Energy Systems (UES), Russia\'s electricity monopoly, earlier suggested converting part of Georgia\'s energy debts into investments in the GruzRosEnergo joint venture. Burjanadze suggested settling the problem of returning Georgian refugees home to Abkhazia. At the moment, there are over 30,000 refugees from Abkhazia living in Georgia. The Georgian speaker also voiced concern over Russian passports issued to Abkhaz residents. Khristenko\'s secretariat said these two political issues were not considered in detail, as they are under the purview of the Russian Foreign Ministry. At the same time, the secretariat said that about a million people have left Georgia for Russia in the past ten years, and 650,000 received Russian passports. (Interfax)