MIKHAIL BAGHDASAROV: OPENING OF ARMENIAN-TURKISH BORDER WILL REDUCE PETROL IMPORT VALUE AT LEAST 10%

ArmInfo
2009-09-17 16:28:00

ArmInfo. Opening of the Armenian-Turkish border will reduce the
petrol import value at least 10%, Mikhail Baghdasarov, President of
Mika Limited Holding, told media on Thursday.

"Opening of the border will allow importing petrol from Greece
and Italy directly to Armenia by overland transport. In the present
conditions we are facing a number of problems, including with crossing
Bosphorus and Dardanelle Straits, cargo reception at Poti and Batumi
ports. All this requires additional expenses, including temporary,"
B. Baghdasarov said.

Generally, opening the border with Armenia, Turkey will get a new
sales market. As for Armenia, the present conditions of cargo traffic
are still uneasy for it. The transport infrastructures of Armenia
and Georgia are almost in the same state. Armenia pins hopes with
improvement of roads, whereas Georgia has no hopes either. As regards
the design capacity of transport routes, the Turkish railways are
more modern than in Armenian and Georgian ones. Georgian and Armenian
rolling stocks transport 1.5 thousand tons and 900 tons in average
respectively, which hinders the traffic, he said.