Baku: Minister: Armenia To Gain Access To Baku-Tbilisi-Kars Railway

MINISTER: ARMENIA TO GAIN ACCESS TO BAKU-TBILISI-KARS RAILWAY AFTER LIBERATION OF AZERBAIJANI TERRITORIES

Trend, Azerbaijan
July 3 2013

Azerbaijan, Baku, July 3 / Trend, E. Ismailov /

Armenia will be able to access the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway only
after the liberation of the occupied territories of Azerbaijan,
Turkey’s Minister of Transport, Maritime Affairs and Communications
Binali Yildirim told reporters in Baku on Wednesday.

According to him, the project’s participants are the three neighboring
countries, and the corridor is open to all.

“However, Armenia will only be able to use the rail road after the
liberation of the occupied territories and the fulfillment of all
arising obligations,” Yildirim said.

Plans exist to construct a new 105 kilometre branch of the
Baku-Tbilisi-Kars project. In addition, the Akhalkalaki-Tbilisi-Marabda
railway will be reconstructed in Georgia, which will increase its
capacity to 15 million tons of cargo per year.

It is planned to build a centre in Akhalkalaki for the transition
of trains from the existing train tracks in Georgia to the European
system.

As expected, 30 million tons of cargo will be transported annually
through the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway, which will have direct access
to the European rail network.

In the future, with the completion of the Marmaray project
(construction of a tunnel under the Bosporus), a way to Europe will
be ensured via the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway.

The project will be completed in 2014.