Barney Frank against Washington Financing Kars-Akhalkalaki-Tbilisi Railway Construction

PanARMENIAN.Net - Giving a major boost to legislation that would prohibit U.S. funding for a new rail line intended to isolate Armenia, the Ranking Member of the House Financial Services Committee Representative Barney Frank (D-MA), this week signed on as the bill's 50th cosponsor, reported AAA. The Armenian Assembly commended Frank, a longtime supporter of the Armenian-American community, and noted that his co-sponsorship would bolster support for H.R. 3361, the South Caucasus Integration and Open Railroads Act. "The proposed rail link in the South Caucasus region that excludes Armenia is not only wrong morally, but it will also cost a great deal more than upgrading the existing rail link that already includes Armenia," Congressman Frank told the Assembly. "I will oppose any U.S. funding for the rail linking Turkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan because this is a case in which the approach that is both morally correct and economically feasible is, in fact, mutually reinforcing." Executive Director Bryan Ardouny who encouraged the lawmaker to cosponsor the measure during a meeting last week added, "The Assembly appreciates Congressman Frank's continued advocacy on issues of importance to Armenian-Americans. Passage of this legislation will send a strong message to Turkey and Azerbaijan that the U.S. will neither tolerate attempts to isolate Armenia nor undermine efforts to foster regional cooperation."



To remind, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, earlier this year, initiated an estimated $800 million project to build a new rail line linking Turkey, Georgia, and Azerbaijan while bypassing Armenia. The project's aim is to further isolate Armenia by enhancing the ongoing Turkish and Azerbaijani blockades and to keep the existing Turkey-Armenia-Georgia route shut down. In response to this ill-proposed project, Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Joe Knollenberg (R-MI) and Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) together with Caucus Member Rep. George Radanovich (R-CA) introduced H.R. 3361 in the House of Representatives. Frank, a member of the Armenian Caucus, was first elected to Congress in 1980. During his tenure, he has repeatedly cosponsored legislation to reaffirm the U.S. record on the Armenian Genocide and has urged President Bush to call on Turkey to end its illegal blockade of Armenia.