Russian, Armenian foreign ministers discuss regional transport projects

Mediamax news agency
17 Feb 05

Yerevan, 17 February: Russia will take into account to the maximum the
interests of Armenia in the implementation of regional transport projects and will
not take steps detrimental to it, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said
at a meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Markaryan in Yerevan today.

The head of the Russian Foreign Ministry said this commenting on the concern
expressed by Prime Minister Andranik Markaryan over plans to construct the
Qazvin – Rasht [Iran] – Astara [Azerbaijan] railway link bypassing Armenian
territory within the framework of the North-South international transport corridor
project.

[Passage omitted: background]

The Russian foreign minister said today that he would inform Russian
Transport Minister Igor Levitin and the president of the Russian Railways company,
Gennadiy Fadeyev, about the Armenian prime minister’s concern.

The meeting also discussed the launch of the Kavkaz-Poti ferry link. Armenian
Prime Minister Andranik Markaryan said that Armenia attaches great importance
to this transport link since it will help Armenia considerably expand trade
with Russia.

Markaryan and Lavrov also discussed prospects for the reopening of the Abkhaz
section of the Georgian railways.