Georgia Will Not Refuse from Kars-Akhalkalai Railway Despite US Position

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Kars-Akhalkalai railway will be constructed despite US Congress position, stated Georgian Prime Minister Gela Bezhuashvili today after the end of the session of Georgian government. ""The USA has the sovereign right to make such decisions. Washington refuses to finance the project, but that will be no problem, the finance may be obtained from other sources," Bejuashvili said.



It's worth reminding, today Matthew Bryza, the US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State and OSCE MG American Co-Chair said that he is against the perception, that the United States opposes to the Kars-Akhalkalaki-Tbilisi-Baku railway project after president George Bush signed the law, which bans to finance that project. In his words, the United States has always supported projects aimed at strengthening transportation ties. "We are trying to develop projects, I am repeating, all the projects, which include all the states along East-West corridor. Of course, we would like the railway, which connects Turkey with Baku, to pass through Armenia, since it reflects our policy. Second, from economic point of view it is more expedient to connect Turkey and Georgia through Armenian territory. But we cannot make decisions on that issue. Investors themselves push forward investment plans, which are more profitable for them. If Azerbaijan, Turkey and Georgia want to construct a railway, of course, we cannot object. But we do not particularly support that project. We hope that in near future we will see such a transportation scheme, which includes all the countries of the region," said Bryza.