AZG Armenian Daily #161, 09/09/2005
Region
EU LIKELY TO FINANCE KARS-AKHALKALAK RAILWAY
Francois Lamoureux, European Commission Energy and Transport
Directorate-General, stated that EU is interested in construction of
Kars-Akhalkalak railway during his visit to Baku on November 15. “We have
thoroughly studied that project in order to be able to finance that in
future. But, besides, the EU sources, we shall look for other sources as
well,” Lamoureux said.
The representatives of Turkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan signed an agreement on
the construction of Kars-Akhalkalak railway in Tbilisi on December 28.
Presidents Sezer, Saakashvili and Aliyev stated about “the railway corridor”
that connects the their countries, on May 25 2005.
The official Yerevan expressed concern about the construction of the railway
on May 31. Vartan Oskanian, RA foreign minister, applied to Jacques Barrot,
deputy-chairman of the European Commission, coordinator of transport
affairs, to consider Armenia’s position.
“Being informed that at present, you are discussing the possibility to
construct a new railway from Turkey to Georgia, I introduce to you the
position of Armenia. As you know, there is a functioning railway link that
connects Kars with Tbilisi through Gyumri. This is an indispensable corridor
financed within the framework of EU TRASECA program. It hasn’t been utilized
because of Turkey’s political decision to impose a blockade on Armenia. The
current decision to build a new railway will require big financial sources.
Still worse, it goes hand in hand with Turkey’s policy of blockade that
lasts for decades. The Armenian-Turkish border is the only blocked one in
Europe. Armenia finds such a decision irrational and unacceptable. If
Armenia is a problem for Turkey, we are ready to keep from utilizing
Kars-Gyumri railway line. If Europe really wants cooperation in South
Caucasus, the reopening of this railway line will contribute to that process
in the best way. The decision not to utilize that corridor will create
obstacles for successful implementation of the European neighborhood
policy,” Oskanian said in his letter.
Armenia can’t hinder the construction of Kars-Akhalkalak railway, especially
when Europe renders political and financial assistance for that project.
There are still some expectations circulating in the diplomatic circles of
Yerevan that the issue of opening the borders with Armenia will be discussed
in the agenda of the negotiations over Turkey’s membership to EU on October
3. Though, Ankara is unlikely to give in. The Turkish authorities even
refuse to recognize the independence of Cyprus that is a EU member country.
In such conditions, the Europeans will probably gamble on the fact of the
Armenian Genocide, which will hurt both Armenia and the Armenian Diaspora.
An official of RA foreign ministry said in the interview to Azg that Yerevan
observes Kars-Akhalkalak project as a political act that hinders the
regional cooperation, while the construction of the new railway contributes
to Armenia’s isolation, which is quite artificial. The diplomat believes
that Kars-Akhalkalak means nothing but an attempt to stop utilization of
Kars-Gyumri. “While, in case of financially supporting Kars-Akhalkalak, EU
contradicts the very principle it announced. They are going to finance a
project that is aimed to isolate Armenia,” the diplomat said.
By Tatoul Hakobian
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress