NEGOTIATIONS ON CONSTRUCTION OF ARMENIA-IRAN RAILWAY COMPLETED

Noyan Tapan
July 29, 2009

YEREVAN, JULY 29, NOYAN TAPAN. Progress has been made in the issue
of the new Yerevan-Batumi motorway construction. RA Minister of
Transport and Communication Gurgen Sargsyan told reporters on July 29
that they together with the deputy chairman of the Asian Development
Bank have discussed issues related to the credit to be provided for
the motorway’s construction. A credit agreement is being prepared
which will resolve the financial problems of South-North highway’s
construction. According to the minister, they are conducting
negotiations with other organizations as well in order to involve
them in the highway construction’s funding.

G. Sargsyan said the feasibility study on the highway construction is
now being carried out with a grant of the Asian Development Bank. "The
study will enable to start the design work which will allow us to
speak about the exact costs of the first road sections. This project
cannot be completed in a year because the matter concerns a highway
to run throughout Armenia. We expect it to be a high quality road,"
the minister underlined.

Speaking about the construction of Armenia-Iran railway, G. Sargsyan
noted that the negotiations have already been completed. An agreement
is in preparation, by which a grant will be allocated for a feasibility
study on the railway construction.