ArmenPress
Jan 17 2005

GEORGIAN GOVERNMENT MEMBER SKEPTICAL ABOUT KARS-TBILISI RAILWAY

TBILISI, JANUARY 17, ARMENPRESS: An ethnic Armenian member of the
Georgian government said last Saturday prospects for materialization
of a Georgian-Azeri and Turkish agreement on construction of a
railway between Turkish city of Kars and Georgian capital Tbilisi
were bleak.
Deputy economic development minister Henrik Muradian was quoted by
A-Info news agency as saying no one has any idea about how to secure
some $350 million which experts say are needed to build the road.
Muradian said the agreement may remain on paper for 20 or even 30
years. He stressed, at the same time, the importance of construction
of a highway between Akhalkalaki, the administrative center of the
Armenian populated region of Georgia and the Turkish Kars. The
Turkish portion of the road is built, Georgia plans to start
construction of its portion this year.