PRESS TV, Iran
Dec 28 2008

Railway to connect Central Asia in 2011
Sun, 28 Dec 2008 13:13:35 GMT

A Kazakh official has said the construction of a railway linking the
country to Turkmenistan and Iran will be completed in 2011.

The three countries signed a deal to constructing the 900-kilometer
(560-mile) railway last year on the sidelines of the Caspian Sea
summit in Tehran.

About 700 km (435 miles) of railway will be built on Turkmenistan’s
soil while the rest of it will pass through Iran and Kazakhstan.

Once completed, the railway is expected to transport 15 million tons
of goods annually.

Kazakhstan is keen to complete the railway as it would help the
country find a direct link to Armenia.

"If Iran and Armenia agree to build a link, direct communication will
be established between Kazakhstan and Armenia. Given Russia’s interest
in the project, I think it will be implemented," PanArmenia.net quoted
Kartay Khairov, an official at the Kazakh embassy in Yerevan, as
saying.

There have been several rounds of talks between Iran and Armenia on a
possible railway link between the two countries.

The Armenian minister for transport and communication, Gurgen
Sargsyan, has said that such a rail link would cost approximately USD
2 billion.

The president of Russian Railways, Vladimir Yakunin, said in November
that the company was ready to participate in the construction of the
railway should Iran, Armenia and Russia agree on how to finance the
project.

AKM/MMN

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress