Armenia concerned over regional railway project
Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Aug 3 2005
Baku, August 2, AssA-Irada — Armenian officials have expressed strong
concerns over the planned construction of the Gars-Akhalkalaki railway
within a regional railway project.
Armenian news agencies quoted Minister for Transport Andranik Manukian
as saying that the project is allegedly unsuitable not only for
Armenia but also the entire region.
Manukian termed the construction of the Gars-Tbilisi-Baku railway
through Gumru (Armenia) more appropriate and apparently wants his
country to get out of self-isolation in an indirect way. “By all
means, we try to convince the parties interested in building the
Gars-Akhalkalaki railway that the project is inefficient,” he said.
Manukian said that the project has allegedly not been approved as a
part of the TRACECA route, unlike the Gars-Gumru road.
“Armenia will be able to receive cargoes through the Gars-Gumru route
the day after the opening of the Armenian-Turkish border.” Manukian
also said that the Armenian side is ready to forward proposals on
favorable transit tariffs to Turkey.
Azerbaijani, Turkish and Georgian presidents signed a declaration
establishing the Gars-Tbilisi-Baku international transport corridor
in Baku on May 25, 2005. The project envisions constructing the
Gars-Akhalkalaki railway.
68 km of the railway worth $500 million goes through Turkey and 30
km via Georgia. The railway is to be commissioned late in 2008.
The three countries’ transport ministers are expected to gather late
in August to discuss the railway construction.*