ANKARA, BAKU, AND TBILISI AT PAINS TO DRAW ARMENIA INTO AN ANTI-ARMENIAN PROJECT

Regnum, Russia
June 22 2006

Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdullah Gul met in Baku with
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to discuss participation of
Armenia in the project of the Kars-Akhalkalaki-Tbilisi-Baku railway
construction. The Presidents who talked to each other for 40 minutes
did not make any official statement to the press following it. As
Anatolia News reported, they negotiated on the further development
of the railroad that was planned to connect Turkey with Azerbaijan
through Georgia.

The Turkish FM said that, to overcome difficulties impeding realization
of the project, ministers of transport of Azerbaijan, Turkey,
and Georgia have to look for a decision. He said that Georgia has
"serious doubts" regarding the project. Gul suggested help to Georgia
in order to clear these doubts. "Armenia is also welcome to join in
the project if she likes," Gul said. He also mentioned that private
Kazakhstani companies have shown interest to the railway project.

As Turkish Daily News reported, the Azerbaijani President reacted
positively to the Ankara’s invitation of Armenia to join the project.

Ilham Aliyev said that efforts should be taken to realize the
project without gaining external credits. Georgian officials in a
conversation with one of Ankara’s envoys cautiously reacted to the
declared readiness of Turkey and Azerbaijan to let Armenia in. They
argued that if Armenia joins the project, the necessity of building
the railroad would become obsolete since there was already a direct
railroad connecting Armenia and Turkey (Kars-Giumri) that was
inoperative due to political discord.

The Kars-Akhalkalaki-Tbilisi-Baku railroad aims to connect Turkey and
Azerbaijan. Agreement of understanding between the two countries was
signed on December 28, 2004. A work group was created, and a meeting
of transport ministers of the two countries was held in Istanbul
in September 2005. Ministers of transport of Azerbaijan, Georgia,
and Turkey discussed the developments at the project and concrete
steps of its implementation.

Realization of the project will complete isolation of Armenia,
since it will further decrease the chances of launching the existing
Turkey-Armenia-Georgia-Abkhazia-Russia railroad.