Vartan Oskanian: Kars-Akhalkalaki-Tbilisi-Baku rail project is a political
mistake

ArmRadio.am
09.03.2007 16:39

Armenia’s position on the construction of the
Kars-Akhalkalaki-Tbilisi-Baku railway is unchangeable: the project is
a political mistake and is not a hopeless step. RA Foreign Minister
Vartan Oskanian said at a press conference today that Armenia will
continue speaking against it, and said that despite the fact that the
three countries have signed an agreement the implementation of the
program has not started. `If they are trying to involve Kazakh
investments, it means they have no full financing. I don’t know what
the Kazakh position is, but when the question was under consideration
a year ago, we held discussions with the Kazakh side: they show no
particular interest. Possibly, the situation may have changed now, but
it will not alter anything. We think this approach is incorrect,’ said
Vartan Oskanian. According to him, from the economic point of view
the implementation of the program will do no additional harm to
Armenia other than the losses the country faces because of the closed
border with Turkey. It will create a non-positive atmosphere in regard
to regional cooperation, which will have a negative influence on other
issues, including the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.