RASIZADE: KARS-AHIKELEK-TBILISI-BAKU RAILWAY AGREEMENT WILL BE SIGNED NEXT MONTH
The New Anatolian, Turkey
Dec 27 2006
Azerbaijani Premier Artur Rasizade stated yesterday that efforts to
establish a transportation link between Azerbaijan and Turkey are
continuing, and that an agreement on the Kars-Ahikelek-Tbilisi-Baku
railway will be signed in January.
Turkey has been pushing the region’s states to begin construction of
the railway, amid some countries’ fears that the project could cut
out Armenia. The announcement of the planned agreement on the railway
project came during Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Nohaydeli’s meeting
with Rasizade in Azerbaijan. It is also significant since it followed
Georgia’s announcement on Sunday that the country has reached a gas
agreement with Turkey following a visit by the Georgian president to
Turkey last week.
Rasizade also announced that the construction and preparation work
for the Kars-Ahikelek-Tbilisi-Baku railway project are planned to
begin in May.
Stressing that Georgia will face energy shortage problems this winter
following Russia doubling its gas price starting next year, Rasizade
stated that Georgia’s neighbors will help the country through the
supply of some 1 million cubic meters of gas daily.
Touching on efforts to attain regional cooperation on energy issues,
Rasizade said besides the Turkish-Georgian gas agreement, Azerbaijan
will contribute to the construction of new energy stations in Georgia.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
