AZERI EXPERT NOTES IMPORTANCE OF IRAN-RUSSIA RAILWAY PROJECT

Day.az, Azerbaijan
Feb 14 2007

14 February: "As soon as the tension surrounding Iran’s nuclear
programme subsides, this country will probably join transport projects
in the South Caucasus," political expert Rasim Musabayov has said.

The expert thinks that Russia and Iran are interested in the
implementation of the North-South transport project as they mainly use
Azerbaijani territory to transport cargo. In his opinion, Armenia’s
position on the Karabakh issue has sidelined this country from all
regional projects.

Azerbaijan is gradually creating in the region its own developed
infrastructure in which all the countries of the region, as well
as other states will be interested. "If countries like China and
Korea are interested in projects implemented in the South Caucasus,
it is quite logical that neighbouring Russia will also join transport
projects in Azerbaijan," the expert said.

Iran already understands that simple observation of economic changes
is a nonconstructive position. In order to build a new 300-km railway
from Iran’s central regions to the border town of Astara, about 1bn
dollars will be required. Taking account of the possibilities of Iran
and Russia, this is not a big amount of money, the expert thinks.

A swift solution to problems between the USA and Iran would play
a positive role in the development of the entire region. The
implementation of the North-South project would also restore the
geopolitical balance in the South Caucasus which has obviously
been disrupted in favour of the USA and Europe, Musabayov said in
conclusion.