FIRST STEP NOT TO FINANCE KARS-AKHALKALAK RAILWAY IS TAKEN
By Aghavni Harutyunian

AZG Armenian Daily
16/06/2006

Sticking to its policy of regional cooperation and economic policy,
the US House of Representatives Committee on Financial Services has
taken a decision not to finance Kars-Akhalkalak-Tbilis-Baku railway
bypassing Armenia, RFE/RL reports. The Armenian Assembly of America
thanked congressmen and informed that congressmen Joseph Crowley,
Edward Royce and Bred Sherman proposed an amendment to the banking
procedure 2006 on exports and imports that prohibits assignment of
state finances to projects aimed at isolating Armenia from regional
and trade cooperation.

The amendment passed unanimously, and in AAA’s words, this emphasizes
United States’ resolution to improve Armenian-Turkish relations and
to settle Nagorno Karabakh issues through peace talks. This decision
is also a response to newly appointed US ambassador to Azerbaijan,
Anne Derse, who said that the railway is not in the interests of
regional integration.

In congressman Crowley’s words, the amendment is a signal for Turkish
and Azerbaijani governments that exclusion of Armenia from regional
projects can result in instability. Californian congressman Sherman
reminded that the EU has already made it stance clear on this issue. In
his words, the financing of Baku-Ceyhan oil pipeline in 2003 was
a huge mistake as the aim of US foreign aid should be cooperative
solution to the conflict but not financing of suchlike projects.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress