AIRCA head: Turkey takes no action to issue visas to Armenian drivers

July 30, 2012 - 16:49 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - Turkey takes no action as to issuing visas to Armenian drivers for cargo transfer to Port of Trabzon, chairman of Association of International Road Carriers of Armenia (AIRCA) said.

Gerbert Hambartsumyan stressed the need for the Turkish side to grant visas to either on border, or enable Armenian drivers to get them through the third country.

“We have filed a letter to Georgian embassy, with no reply received yet,” he said.

In this context he said that only 2 cars belonging to AIRCA got permission for cargo transportation in 2011. Under the Turkish law, for transit through Turkey Armenian drivers must receive the visa at the embassy that Armenia lacks.

“Support to Armenia-Turkey Rapprochement” project director Arthur Ghazaryan, in turn, noted Port of Trabzon as an alternative to Georgia’s Poti port, with the use of the opportunity to allow for $600 cut in transportation expenses.

Turkey’s Port of Trabzon is ready to accept Armenian cargo, the port’s chief Muzaffer Ermis said.

“Should Turkish government’s agreement be procured, the port will be ready to service cargo transfers to and from Armenia. Both Turkey and Armenia will benefit from it,” Gunebakis Turkish website cited the port chief as saying.

“At present, Armenia’s implementing $7,5 bn worth of imports and exports via Georgia’s Port of Poti. There’s a railway to Poti, which functions with lengthy breaks. However, one can get from Yerevan to Trabzon any time. Also, the port of Trabzon is ready to service the same volume of cargo transfers that Poti does,” Mr Ermis said.