AZERBAIJAN, GEORGIA, TURKEY EXPERTS TO DISCUSS NEW RAILWAY IN TBILISI
TBILISI, MARCH 31, ARMENPRESS: Experts from Georgia, Azerbaijan and
Turkey will meet in the Georgian capital Tbilisi on April 4-5 to
discuss a joint plan of building a 100 km long railway that would
connect the Turkish city of Kars with Georgian Akhalkalaki. Some 70 km
of the road would run across the Turkish territory.
The Kars-Akhalkalaki rail line is conceived to take the place of
the non-operating link between Kars and Gyumri in Armenia, which was
once the only rail connection between the Soviet Union and
Turkey. Turkey sealed its border with Armenia in 1993 in solidarity
with Azerbaijan, however, Russian transport minister Igor Levitin
announced last weekend that Russia was negotiating with Turkish
authorities over taking the Kars-Gyumri railroad on lease. He
explained Russia’s intention by political motivations as a
counter-proposal to Georgian-Azerbaijani-Turkish plans. He said
resumption of the Kars-Gyumri railway would be incomparably cheaper
than building a new road.
According to Azeri mass media, the three countries are planning
totake a loan from international markets to finance the construction
of the Kars-Akhalkalaki line, which they say is estimated to cost
between $500 million and $700 million. Turkey’s feasibility study will
cost $1 million. The project has been included in Turkish Railways,
Seaports and Airports Construction Directorate General’s investments
portfolio for 2005.
A story in the Armenian daily Hayots Ashkhar last year said Armenia
should act quickly to avert Turkish-Georgian-Azeri rail link. The
daily said the railway, if built, would strengthen Armenia’s
dependence on Georgia and prevent the opening of the Armenian-Turkish
border, which will leave the country ina blockade forever.
The daily said also Armenian authorities should persuade Europe,
the USA and Russia that the Kars-Akhalkalaki railway will allow Turkey
to continue the economic blockade of Armenia and will speed up the
withdrawal of Russian troops from Georgia.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress