ARMENIA ACCEDES TO RAILWAY AGREEMENT UNDER EUROPEAN NEIGHBORHOOD POLICY

ARKA
Dec 8, 2008

YEREVAN, December 8. /ARKA/. Armenia, among the other countries
participating in the Transport Corridor Europe Caucasus Asia (TRACECA)
has acceded to an agreement on expansion of railway communication
with neighbors under the European Neighborhood program.

RA Minister of Transport Gurgen Sargsyan pointed out that the Armenian
delegation participated in the jubilee meeting of the TRACECA Ministers
of Transports in Baku on December 4. The Armenian delegation was led
by Head of the Foreign Relations Department, RA Ministry of Transport,
RA Permanent Representative in TRACECA Gagik Grigoryan.

"Armenia is a full TRACECA member and signed a number of agreements,
particularly the ones on the expansion of rail junctions with neighbors
under the European Neighborhood program," Sargsyan said.

He pointed out that the meeting discussed two major issues: the
importance of TRACECA program for the expansion of the trans-European
network toward the neighboring countries, particularly the development
of the south-east corridor; and the implementation of a relevant
program of action.

The representatives of the participating countries signed a resolution
of the jubilee meeting and discussed the issues related to the regular
meeting to be held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, next year, G. Sargsyan said.

TRACECA (the Transport Corridor Europe-Caucasus-Asia)
– an international organisation=2 0of economic
cooperation. Intergovernmental Commission of the 14 member States of
the Eastern European, Caucasian and Central Asian region.

Permanent Secretariat based in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Established in 1998, upon signing of Multilateral Agreement on
International Transport for the development of the Transport Corridor
Europe-Caucasus-Asia.

The following states participate in the TRACECA program: Armenia,
Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova,
Romania, Turkey, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan.

A total of 45-45mln tons of cargoes are transported yearly through
the TRACECA communication lines in various directions. Besides,
every year, the European Commission initiates four or five projects
(mostly technical ones), to the amount of â~B¬13-15mln.

Specifically, a total of 10-12mln tons of oil and oil products are
transported from Central Asia to Europe During TRACECA’s 10-year
activities international institutions have invested over â~B¬1bln in
the projects.

During 15 years the European Commission has funded 15 investment and
61 technical projects to the amount of â~B¬157mln.

The corridor development work made the freight turnover increase
from 3mln tons in 1993-97 up to 9mln tons in 1998 and 53mln tons in
2007. A total of 150mln tons of cargoes have been transported through
the corridor since 1998.

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