TURKISH TRANSPORT MINISTER: BAKU-TBILISI-KARS NOT MEANT TO EXCLUDE ARMENIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
12.09.2008 12:22 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ A railway project linking Turkey, Azerbaijan and
Georgia is not meant to exclude neighboring Armenia, with which Turkey
has no formal ties, Turkish Minister of Transport Binali Yildirim
said yesterday.

The Baku-Tbilisi-Kars bypasses Russia and Armenia. The railway,
which is scheduled to be completed in 2011, will not only link the
three countries but will also revive the historic Silk Road trade
route that once connected Asia with Europe.

"The Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway is by no means a project excluding
Armenia," Yildirim told reporters. "This is an international project
aimed at boosting international trade and tourism, and it is quite
possible that other countries may also join. Russia, Greece and
Iran could join. It is not confined to Turkey and Azerbaijan alone,"
he added, Today’s Zaman reports.