AZERBAIJAN INTENDS TO ESTABLISH DIRECT COMMUNICATION WITH KARS

Azg/arm
15 Dec 04

Azerbaijan’s council to Kars, Hasan Zeynalov, informed the
Azeri525Gazetthat Abid Sharifov, deputy prime minister of Azerbaijan,
highlighted the need of establishing direct communication between
Azerbaijan and Turkey’s eastern regions (Western Armenia – ed.) during
his meetings with Kars authorities. They also discussed the
possibility of establishing bus routes from Kars to Nakhijevan and
Baku-Kars-Istanbul air route. According to preliminary agreements,
Kars authorities should present concrete suggestions for economic
cooperation.

Kars delegation headed by the governor Nevzat Tarkhan will visit
Azerbaijan and Nakhijevan in February of the coming year. “Direct
communication between Azerbaijan and Kars will turn futile the efforts
of those wishing to see Armenian-Turkish border-gates open. Those
forces were agitating that Kars’ economic well-being hangs on opening
of the Armenian border”,Zerkalowrote.

Nearly a month ago the mayor of Kars, Naif Alibeyoghlu, gathered 50
thousand signatures for opening the Turkish-Armenian border-gate. The
mayor’s viewpoint was that both Armenia and Turkey will benefit if the
roads and Kars-Gyumri railroad are open. But few days ago Alibeyoghlu
stated: “There may be no need of border-gate opening if Azerbaijan
makes investments into the regionâ=80=99s economy”.