INFORMATION ON KARS-AKHALKALAKI-BAKU LINE INEXPEDIENCE RESEMBLES BLUFF
PanARMENIAN.Net
30.09.2008 16:11 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Reports on inexpedience of Kars-Akhalkalaki-Baku
are far from being real and resemble a bluff, said a contributing
analyst at Jane’s Information Group.
"Turkey just offered to build a new Kars-Gyumri line to engage Armenia
into the project. At that, it doesn’t imply repair of the existing
track but construction of a new one," Richard Giragosian commented
to a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.
Reports say that during the September 16 coordination council meeting,
the Turkish side questioned advisability of the project in connection
with the recent regional development.
In total 98 kilometers (61 mi), the line is supposed to be built
between Kars and Akhalkalaki, with 68 kilometers (42 mi) within
Turkey and 30 kilometers (19 mi) in Georgia. The existing line from
Akhalkalaki on to Tbilisi and Baku will be modernized.
For the construction of the railroad on Georgian territory, Azerbaijan
is providing a US$220 million loan, repayable in 25 years, with an
annual interest rate of only 1%.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
