GEORGIAN AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA: KARS-AKHALKALAKI IS A NO-OPTION RAILROAD
Lragir/am
20 March 06
Georgia has to build the Kars-Akhalkalaki railroad, every country
needs transit routes, and we will be glad if the Gyumri-Kars railroad
is operated, stated Revaz Gachecheladzeh, Georgian Ambassador to
Armenia on March 20.
According to him, Georgia has no reasons to reject economic flows
determined by the railroad, with the annual capacity of the Georgian
ports of 22 billion tones.
Soon the ports will not supply the demands of developing Georgia. Revaz
Gachecheladzeh thinks that the Kars-Akhalkalaki railroad is favorable
for Javakheti too. “Not all the freight is for transit, part of it
remains. Besides, crafts will develop in Akhalkalaki.” The ambassador
suggests viewing Kars-Akhalkalaki as a purely economic project that
will become part of the Beijing-Paris highway.
Georgia, which welcomes the re-operation of Gyumri-Kars, will not
try to influence Turkey or Azerbaijan in the question of opening the
borders, however. ” First because even the Minsk Group cannot influence
Turkey and Azerbaijan,” and besides, “like Armenia, we also conduct
a complementary policy, we want to have good relations with everyone,
and especially our neighbors. The question of opening the borders is
your internal affair.”
Everyone understands that Kars-Akhalkalaki is not favorable for
Armenia. The ambassador does not say anything with regard to this. The
Georgian-Armenian economic relations were not satisfactory but there is
progress. For instance, in Georgia they are already selling Armenian
products – juice, cigarettes, cement, etc. Besides, the Armenians are
building a hotel in the resort town of Kobuleti. “We assist the inflow
of the Armenian capital to Georgia. I think you would assist the inflow
of the Georgian capital to Armenia. Our markets are small, and if we
unite, both countries will benefit,” assures Revaz Gachecheladzeh.
The Armenians and Georgians are also implementing regional
projects. The second transmission line of electricity from Armenia
to Georgia is being built.
If it joins the Iran-Armenia line, something that Georgia is eager for,
trilateral cooperation would facilitate the export of electricity among
these three countries. Georgia would like the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline
to reach Georgia and have a sufficient capacity to transport gas to
Europe, which would be favorable for both Armenia and Georgia. But
“Armenia decided to construct a small pipeline.”