Kars-Tbilisi-Baku railway construction to begin in June

PanARMENIAN.Net - Tbilisi, Baku and Ankara ignored "Armenian" warning of the U.S.A., Russian 'Izvestia' writes. The construction works of the strategic Kars-Tbilisi-Baku railway will launch in June 2007, stated the Turkish Ministry if Foreign Affairs today. The MFA underlined that on February 7 a trilateral frame agreement will be signed in Tbilisi between Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey. Turkish premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan will be present at the signing ceremony.



"This project, which has strategic importance, will give new impulse to regional cooperation. The Turkish side will participate in the construction works with readiness. The railroad will stretch along Turkish territory, southern parts of the Caucasus, Central Asia and China joining with Europe," says the statement of Turkish MFA. Authorities underline that according to the plan, the Kars-Tbilisi-Baku railway will be given to exploitation within two years.



It is worth of special notice that the U.S. Congress banned American banks to finance the construction of the railroad if it bypasses Armenia. Washington's uncompromising stance on the issue was once more confirmed by U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Matthew Bryza. Particularly he stated that if Georgia, Azerbaijan and Turkey want to build a railway bypassing Armenia the U.S. cannot prevent them. But Washington will not assist it either.