PRESIDENT STRESSES EXPANSION OF IRAN-ARMENIA RELATIONS

Fars News Agency
April 14 2009
Iran

TEHRAN (FNA)- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, in a meeting
with his Armenian counterpart, stressed expansion of Tehran-Yerevan
bilateral ties.

"Iran and Armenia should promote relations in different areas,
including trade, energy and transportation," Ahmadinejad said in a
Monday meeting with his visiting Armenian counterpart Serzh Sargsyan.

"An advanced and sustainable Armenia will be beneficial to the entire
region," Ahmadinejad said.

Armenian President, for his part, called for bolstering of relations
with Iran.

The two sides also agreed to finalize an agreement on the construction
of a railway that will connect the two countries and enhance economic
cooperation.

The Armenian president arrived in Tehran on Monday at the head of
a high ranking delegation and was officially welcomed by President
Ahmadinejad.

Earlier this month, the two neighboring countries agreed to implement
a joint project on the construction of a 470-kilometer railway, the
bulk of it passing through Armenian territory. The project will take
at least five years and cost up to $1.2 billion.

The World Bank and Asian Development Bank have so far expressed
interest in contributing to the project.

Armenia’s Prime Minister Tigran Sargsian said last month that the
construction of Iran-Armenia railway holds a strategic importance
for his country.

The railway, which will amount to a restoration of the historic Silk
Road, is specially important to Yerevan as it will connect the northern
lake city of Sevan to the southern city of Meghri, which borders Iran.