ArmenPress
March 29 2005

RUSSIA WANTS TO TAKE ON LEASE KARS-GYUMRI RAILWAY

YEREVAN, MARCH 29, ARMENPRESS: Russian transport minister Igor
Levitin who is also a cochairman of the Russian-Armenian
intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation, said last
Saturday that Russia intends to take on lease a railway that connects
the Turkish city of Kars with Armenian Gyumri. Used intensively
during the Soviet times it stopped working after Turkey imposed a
blockade on Armenia.
Levitin attributed Russia’s intention to resume the operation of
the railway to the political aspect of the issue, saying its
resumption would be several times cheaper than Turkish-Georgian plans
to build a new railway from Kars to Georgian Akhalkalaki.
Levitin said talks with the Turkish side are continuing. He said
the railway would boost freight flow and would also create hundreds
of new jobs.