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USA Not To Finance Construction Of Railway, Bypassing Armenia

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  • USA Not To Finance Construction Of Railway, Bypassing Armenia

    USA NOT TO FINANCE CONSTRUCTION OF RAILWAY, BYPASSING ARMENIA

    Regnum, Russia
    June 15 2006

    Financial Commission of US Congress House of Representatives
    decided not to finance construction of Kars (Turkey)-Akhalkalaki
    (Georgia)-Tbilisi-Baku railway, bypassing Armenia (making a detour
    around existing but not functioning, because of closed Armenian-Turkish
    border, Kars-Gumri (Armenia)-Tbilisi-Baku railway, the Armenian
    American Assembly informs.

    It is worth reminding that earlier a group of Armenia's support at US
    Congress, headed by Congressmen Frank Pallone and Joe Knollenberg,
    sent letter to US State Secretary Condoleezza Rice, requesting to
    desist from the project's financing because it contradicts long-term
    regional interests of Washington. Earlier, several European politicians
    stated on inexpediency of financing of the project, as any other
    communication on a detour around Armenia, because they believe that
    Turkey should normalize its relations with all neighboring countries,
    including Armenia, entering into the EU, as well as to unblock its
    border with Armenia. Armenian specialists tend to point of view
    that construction of railway from Turkey to Georgia, and further to
    Azerbaijan around Armenia will stop Armenia's communication wishes,
    fully completing its isolation. Additionally, Kars-Akhalkalaki-Tbilisi
    railway construction is not included into international TRACEKA
    program. Armenian officials oppose to the project too. In particular,
    Armenian Minister of Transport and Communication Andranik Manoukyan
    stated earlier that Armenia was going to do the utmost to prevent
    construction of Kars-Akhalkalaki railway because it is unprofitable
    for both Armenia and the whole region.

    It is worth reminding that earlier Armenian Foreign Minister
    Vardan Oskanyan stated that Azerbaijan and Georgia had no moral
    right to grant money from their budgets for construction of
    Kars-Akhalkalaki-Tbilisi-Baku railway. According to him, it is
    nonsense to invest money into construction of the railway because the
    abovementioned countries are already connected by an existing railway,
    passing through the Armenian territory. According to preliminary
    calculation, construction of 98 km long Kars-Akhalkalaki railway,
    as well as modernization of Akhalkalaki-Tbilisi railway, will cost
    $400-500 mln.

    From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
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