ARMENIA’S LOCATION MOST UNFAVORABLE AMONGE OTHER 37 LANDLOCKED COUNTIRES

Azg/arm
13 Jan 05

Out of 191 UN states 37 are landlocked, that is have no outlet to the
sea. Most of those states though have favorable geographical position
with navigable rivers and have no serious conflict with neighbors or
else is a EU member and have no problem with goods importing and
exporting.

Armenia is a classic example of a landlocked country. Armenia’s border
stretches 1254 kilometers, 566 of which fall on Azerbaijan, 221 on
Nakhijevan (that was conjoined to Azerbaijan in 1921), 268 on Turkey,
164 on Georgia and 35 on Iran. Today, only 199 kilometers or 16
percent of the border is not under blockade.

An outlet to the sea is not the only guarantee for a prosperous
country, of course. But in case of Armenia, its landlocked position
together with corruption and foul rivalry in economy is the main
factor of countryâ=80=99s underdevelopment.

We put the unsolved Nagorno Karabakh issue aside because, as foreign
minister Vartan Oskanian said, it has no price.

It’s hard to imagine that Azerbaijan will quit the blockade before the
Karabakh issue is settled. It must be noted that Azerbaijan had
blocked the railroads to Armenia before the war. Azerbaijan has also
cut off Armenia-Iran railway communication as the Yerevan-Julfa-Tavriz
railroad is passing through Nakhijevan. Ijevan-Baku railroad also does
not work thus cutting Armenia off Georgia.

The Armenian-Turkish border, stretching 268 km., has been under
blocked for 10 years now. Turkey suggests Armenia to give up Armenian
Genocide claims, declare that it has no territorial claims and
withdraw its forces from Nagorno Karabakh and only then Turkey will
open Alijan-Margara and Aqyaqa-Aghurik border-gates and the
Kars-Gyumri railway.

The Armenian-Iranian border, stretching 35 km., was the most stable
and reliable one for Armenia during the last decade. Though
Agarak-Norduz border-gate is working uninterruptedly, it is not
reliable either as, firstly, the road section passing through Qajaran
becomes impassable and dangerous in winter and, secondly, Armenia pays
far more money for its export from Russia and other states coming via
Iran.

All for 3 border-gates on Armenia-Georgia 164 km border and
Yerevan-Gyumri-Tbilisi railroad are also working uninterruptedly. But
the latter cannot be considered a road connecting Armenia with the
outer world as far as Georgia maintains blockade on the Abkhazian
railway. Nevertheless, Georgia today isthe key state connecting
Armenia with the world. The Poti and Batumi harbors receive Armenian
import and export.

Armenia’s extremely unfavorable geographical location was a headache
for every Armenian government. Russia’s blockade of Georgia-North
Ossetia border-gate and Novorosiysk-Poti sea route was enough to seal
off Armenia late last year.

By Tatoul Hakobian