Iran, Armenia plan railway link

Tehran Times, Iran
April 5 2009

Iran, Armenia plan railway link
Tehran Times Economic Desk

TEHRAN ` Iranian Roads and Transportation Minister Hamid Behbahani and
his Armenian counterpart Gurgen Sargsian agreed in Yerevan on Friday
to establish a railway that would connect the two countries to the
Black Sea as a strategic transit route.

The 470-kilometer railway would take five years to build and cost up
to $1.2 billion to complete and would be financed by the World Bank
and the Asian Development Bank, he added.

According to Press TV, The railway is especially important to Yerevan
as it would connect the northern lake city of Sevan to the southern
city of Meghri, which borders Iran.

The Armenian official said, `The railway will ensure transport links
from South and Central Asia, the Far East, through Iran and Armenia’s
territory towards Georgia’s Black Sea ports,’ a move that will enhance
trade volume between the two countries.

According to IRIB, the Iranian minister also met Armenian Energy
Minister Armen Movsesian, saying that the two countries are developing
an all-out memorandum of understanding to reinforce economic
cooperation.