PanARMENIAN.Net

Bypass of Armenia is real geopolitical aim of Kars-Baku railway project
17.02.2007 13:26 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The expected rapprochement of Baku and Tbilisi has
been proved economically. The Kars-Akhalkalaki-Tbilisi-Baku railway
project is essential for Turkey and Azerbaijan first of all, since the
real geopolitical aim of the project is bypass of Armenia, head of the
department of international relations at the institute of political
and military studies Sergey Markedonov said in an interview with
PanARMENIAN.Net. He reminded that the existing Kars-Gyumri branch line
has not been used since mid 1990-ies. `Economic expedience of the
project is not clear yet. It’s is mostly likely targeted at the future
and supposed to become one of the most important transport corridors
lining the East and West. Even the assistance of one of the most
`substantial players’, the U.S., proved unessential for the
implementation of the project. As you know in July 2006 the House of
representatives banned any funding of construction of a railroad
bypassing Armenia. The U.S. Congressmen stood against Armenia’s
isolation. The Resolution H.R. 5068 says that the `taxpayers’ money
will not be used for a greater isolation of Armenia, which still
suffers double blockade imposed by Turkey and Azerbaijan,’ said the
Russian political scientist.

According to him, the U.S. leaders are far from building a `vertical
line’ and both the State Department and White House should reckon with
the opinion of the Congressmen and influential Armenian lobby.
`Meanwhile the U.S. administration’s stance is also known and, no
doubt, certain `administrative resource’ will be used for supporting
the project. Not all is measured by money. Information support and
positioning in favor of the `railway variant of Baku-Ceyhan’ is worth
something. Anyway, the fault Russia committed in late 2006, namely the
energy pressure on Azerbaijan, resulted in boost of cooperation
between Baku, Tbilisi, Ankara and a part of Washington’s establishment.
Meanwhile such cooperation did not seem obvious in July 2006, when the
decision of Congressmen transformed the Kars-Akhalkalaki-Tbilisi-Baku
into a virtual project, especially since relationships between Ankara
and Washington aroused many questions both in Turkey and American
establishments,’ Markedonov said.