RUSSIA IS INTERESTED IN THE BLOCKADE OF ARMENIA?
Pan Armenian News
06.05.2005, “PanARMENIAN Network” analytical department
The technical-economic assessment of Kazvin-Resht-Astara railway
construction may produce such an impression on anyone.
The representatives of Iran, Russia and Azerbaijan transport
ministries signed a final agreement in Tehran on the construction
of Kazvin-Resht-Astara railway, which will ensure direct railway
communication between Moscow and Tehran via Baku. It is worth
mentioning that the implementation of the project with an estimated
cost of 600 million dollars may result in the isolation of Armenia
since it removes our country from the global transport network.
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ It is quite obvious that the project has more
political than economic aims. As it is known, there already exists
a road that connects Iran to Russia. The road passes through
Julfa-Nakhichevan-Ararat section, which is currently closed. The
refusal of Azerbaijan to open the road is just a caprice since the
Karabakh conflict does not in any way hinder the railway communication,
because the railway passes neither through Azerbaijan nor through the
Armenian controlled security zones. It should be noted that the opening
of the non-functioning segment and the resumption of vertical transport
corridor does not contradict to the interests of Azerbaijan at all. In
any case the road remains an important link of the chain. Thus,
it is clear that official Baku artificially hinders the resumption
of existing communications for one single aim: to achieve Armenia’s
exclusion and isolation from the North-South transport axis.
The logic of official Baku is understandable. But very strange is the
behavior of Moscow who agrees to take part in the implementation of
the doubtful project, which is fraught with the isolation of Armenia
– the strategic partner of Russia. Instead, Moscow was supposed to
influence Azerbaijan and make them open the Julfa-Ararat railway.
Not long ago, the Prime Minister of Armenia shared his worry concerning
the issue with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia. The Russian
minister promised to make efforts for the protection of the interests
of Yerevan. But the approval of the agreement by the president of the
state “Russian railways” company Genady Fadeev confirms the fact that
Sergey Lavrov did not keep his word.
Thus, Russia neglected the interest of its ally and agreed to make huge
investments in the implementation of the project with a very doubtful
payback. Russian experts have assessed that Kazvin-Resht-Astara railway
can become profitable in five years only in case of transporting 20
tons of cargo each year. This could be achieved only if this was the
only railway connecting Russia and Iran. So, it turns out that the
initiators of the project are not interested in the functioning of
Kars-Gyumri railroad, which will be a harmful alternative to the new
road. Does it really mean that it will be more favorable for Moscow –
one of the initiators of the project, to keep the transport blockade
of Armenia?
The strange behavior of Moscow makes the words of President Vladimir
Putin completely senseless. He said that Armenia is one of the most
reliable partners of Russia. Partners are not treated with in such a
way. What if Yerevan treats Russia in the same way? After all this,
the leadership of Armenia has a full moral right to finally agree
to the construction of Iran – Ukraine gas pipeline, passing through
Armenia. Own interests are higher than those of partners. If it so,
there is no need for Armenia to worry about the several milliards of
dollars that “Gasprom” and the Russian government will lose.
Artyom Yerkanyan
06.05.2005, “PanARMENIAN Network” analytical department