TASK GROUP TO DECIDE ON RUSSIAN’S INVOLVEMENT IN IRAN-ARMENIA RAILWAY

/ARKA/
June 10, 2009
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, June 10. /ARKA/. The issue of Russia’s involvement in the
construction of the Iran-Armenia railway will be decided by a task
group to be formed at the level of deputy ministers, RA Prime Minister
Tigran Sargsyan told ARKA.

A final agreement on the construction of the railway was signed in
Teheran on April 15 by Iranian Minister of Road and Transportation
Hamid Behbahani and RA Minister of Transport and Communications Gurgen
Sargsyan. The construction will last four-five years.

The construction of the Iran-Armenia railway is an open project, and
we invited our Russian partners. The Intergovernmental Commission has
appointed task group members, and the Russian side has nominated its
candidates," Premier Sargsyan told reporters.

In this context he also pointed out the Armenian President’s political
decision incorporated in a document signed during Serzh Sargsyan’s
visit to Iran.

"The Iranian side gave assurances that a similar political decision
was made. In any case, the work is under way," Sargsyan said.

Iran stated its readiness to issue a US $400mln credit to Armenia
for the project and fund the construction work in its own territory.

The length of the Iran-Armenia railway is 470 kilometers, with a
60-km-long section to run through the Iranian territory. The project
has several phases: a feasibility study, specification of financing,
routing and construction proper.=0 D

The railway will serve as an alternative way of transporting energy
resources and other products to Armenia. At present Armenia has
railway communication with the outer world through Georgia.

The investments in the project are estimated at US $2bln. The World
Bank, Asian Development Bank, as well as Russia, Iran and Ukraine
show interest in the project.