Pan Armenian Network

OIL PIPELINE CONSTRUCTION FROM BAKU TO CEYHAN VIA YEREVAN WOULD COST 30%
LESS THAN BAKU-TBILISI-CEYHAN PROJECT

14.02.2005 15:11

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ “Kars-Tbilisi-Baku railway project is political but
not economic as the distance Kars-Tbilisi-Baku and Kars-Yerevan-baku
is almost the same”, Co-Chairman of the Council of Armenian-Turkish
Relations Development Council Kaan Soyak stated in Yerevan. In his
words, the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) oil pipeline is not an economic
project either, since the construction of a similar Baku-Yerevan-Ceyhan
pipeline would cost 20-30% less. “However every state is pursuing
its own objectives; and the construction of the BTC was started on
the assumption of such aims.” Soyak said he is sure that taking into
account today’s Armenian-Turkish relations the Kars-Tbilisi-Baku
railway project will be approved and implemented. The Turkish
businessman also stated that both parties still have the time for
trying to correct bilateral relations. At the same time Soyak did
not agree with the opinion that the building of the railway can be
viewed as pressure exerted by Turkey upon Armenia, as, in his words,
both Armenia and Turkey are under pressure of different states and
organizations.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress