AGREEMENT ON BAKU-TBILISI-AKHALKALAKI-KARS RAILROAD TO BE SIGNED TODAY

PanARMENIAN.Net
07.02.2007 15:17 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The leaders of Georgia, Azerbaijan and Turkey
will sign today an agreement of the construction of the on
Baku-Tbilisi-Akhalkalaki-Kars railroad. Azeri President Ilham Aliyev
has already arrived in the Georgian capital for the purpose. The
project costs $600 million. Azerbaijan will assign $300 million to
Georgia for the construction and repair of the Georgian sector with
a term of 25 years with a possible prolongation. According to the
Georgian Minister of Economic Development Giorgy Arveladze, it won’t
be a heavy debt for Georgia, since it will be paid off at the expense
of income from exploitation of the Georgian branch of the railway.

In the words of Georgian State Minister Zurab Noghaideli, repair and
construction works will be launched this year. "It’s a very important
infrastructure project thanks to which Georgia will become a bridge
between Europe and Asia," the Georgian State Minister said. The
carrying capacity of the railroad is expected to make 15 million tons
per year.

According to preliminary data, Kazakhstan is going to convey up to
10 tons of cargo through the road that appears the shortest way from
Asia to Europe.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Congress forbade the American banks to finance the
construction of a railroad bypassing Armenia. Washington’s position
was recently confirmed by U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Matthew
Bryza, who is known as Georgia’s friend and lobbyist.

The United States can’t prevent Georgia, Azerbaijan and Turkey from
the decision but will not assist in building of a railroad bypassing
Armenia, he said, reports Rosbalt.