New railway to link Turkey , Georgia , and Azerbaijan

JTW
9 Aug 05

ANKARA – As thanks for the Azeri government’s support for ending the
embargo against the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), it was
announced yesterday that Turkey would establish a long-awaited
railroad link between the two countries, a crucial part of the ancient
“silk road” between Europe and Asia.

The transport ministers of Turkey , Azerbaijan and Georgia will meet
this week in Istanbul to discuss the establishment of the Kars (
Turkey )-Akhalkalaki (Georgia)- Baku ( Azerbaijan ) railway line.

The railway was agreed on during a meeting in May between the three
countries’ presidents at the Baku-Tiblisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline’s
opening ceremony.

The railway is interpreted by the Armenians as an economic blow dealt
by the Turkish side. Armenians want to open a Kars-Gymri ( Armenia )
railway to help make Armenia a railroad transit country between the
East and West. The Armenian lobby in the U.S. has pressed Turkey to
open the railroad. The latest move by the Armenian lobby culminated in
a draft bill submitted to U.S. Congress by Congressmen Joe
Knollenberg, Frank Pallone and George Radanovich, all members of
Congress’ Armenian caucus, calling on the U.S. government to press
Ankara to open a Kars-Gymri railway.

The Kars-Akhalkalaki line, which will link with the already existent
Akhalkalaki-Baku, will be 98 km, 68 of which will pass through Turkish
territories and the remaining 30 km through Georgia . The cost of the
project is expected to be nearly $500 million. The railway is expected
to be in operation by 2008.

The New Anatolian