AZERBAIJANI DEPUTY TRANSPORT MINISTER: US DECISION WILL NOT AFFECT KARS-AKHALKALAKI-TBILISI-BAKU PROJECT

Regnum, Russia
Dec 27 2006

"The bill adopted in the USA on banning financing the construction
of the Kars-Akhalkalaki-Tbilisi-Baku railway will not affect
implementation of the project. Niether Azerbaijan, nor Georgia or
Turkey appealed US banks for loans," Azerbaijani Deputy Transport
Minister Musa Panakhov is quoted as saying by APA.

According to him, Azerbaijan and Turkey are capable of financing the
project at their own expenses. The deputy minister stressed that
the bill, which was elaborated with participation of the Armenian
Diaspora and pro-Armenian congressmen will not bear the expected
result. According to him, by such claims the Armenians do nothing but
isolate themselves from regional projects. "Azerbaijan will allocate
$150 million for construction of the railway line in the Georgian
territory. The money will be given to Georgia in a form of a long-term
loan for 20-25 years," Panakhov said., noting that preparations for
implementing the project would finish in January.

As REGNUM informed earlier, US congressmen, co-chairs of the
Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues Frank Pallone and Joe
Knollenberg announced that US policy in South Caucasus is aimed
at promoting regional cooperation and normalization of relations
instead of isolation. Earlier, the US president George Bush
approved a bill banning state financing of the construction of the
Kars-Akhalkalaki-Tbilisi-Baku railroad. Before that, the bill was
passed by the House of Representatives, and then by the Senate. The
congressmen called upon Turkey "to revise the policy of alienating
Armenia, put an end to the 13-year-old blockade and take actions
directed at cooperation with its neighbors."