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Armenia concerned over regional railway project

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  • Armenia concerned over regional railway project

    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.*
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