ARMENIAN LOBBY BOYCOTTS REGIONAL TRANSPORT PROJECTS

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Posted June 19 2006

Baku, June 16, AssA-Irada
The Armenian lobby continues its efforts to boycott large-scale
transport projects being implemented in the region.

The Armenian organizations operating in the United States have
achieved the adoption of legislation that prevents US companies from
participating in the Gars-Tbilisi-Baku railway project.

The decision passed by the committee on financial allocations of the
US House of Representatives bans US companies’ involvement in the
project. US financial support to the project is also ruled out.

Commenting on the issue, executive director of the Armenian National
Committee of America, Aram Gamparian, alleged that the Congress’s
decision is of great importance and makes it impossible to render US
financial aid under the plans aiming to leave Armenia out of major
regional projects.

Georgian State Minister Kakha Bendukidze, for his part, called
the decision inappropriate, saying it shows US Congressmen’s
misunderstanding of economic estimations.

"The Gars-Tbilisi-Baku railway is a very interesting and efficient
project that may bring considerable dividends to its parties in the
future. As for the US Congressmen’s decision, I believe they were not
comprehensively informed about the economic benefits of the project,"
he said.