TURKISH MINISTER VIEWS RAILWAY DEVELOPMENT PROSPECTS IN CAUCASUS, CENTRAL ASIA

Anatolia News Agency, Turkey
Feb 7 2007

Tbilisi, 7 February: "When the Kars-Tbilisi-Baku railway project is
completed, annual amount of cargo transportation will increase up
to 30m tonnes in the next two decades," Turkish Transport Minister
Binali Yildirim said on Wednesday [7 February].

"Under the project, a railway line of 105 km will be constructed. The
76-km part of the line will take place between the eastern Turkish
city of Kars and the border region with Georgia, while the remaining
26-km will be constructed from the border region to Javakheti
(Akhalkalaki). On the other hand, the 150-km railway line between
Javakheti and Tbilisi will be repaired. When all those lines are
connected to each other, we will have a 255-km railway line extending
from the People’s Republic of China in the east to Europe in the west
via Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey. The project will cost
about 420m US dollars," he told reporters.

Yildirim noted, "The project will have quite positive impacts both on
Turkish and regional economy. When the project is completed, annual
amount of cargo transportation will increase up to 30m tonnes in the
next two decades."

"The project will also constitute the most economic, direct and safe
line between the East and the West. On the other hand, it will pave
the way for a new north-south route with connections to be made in
Iran and Armenia in the south and Russia in the north," he said.

Upon a question about Armenia’s approach to the project, Yildirim said,
"The current project includes Georgia, Azerbaijan and Turkey.

There is a railway line between Turkey and Armenia. However, we do
not use it due to diplomatic problems.

"When we resolve those problems, we will start using the line."