Engineering and Technical Works within Kars-Akhalkalaki Project to Finish in 2006

PanARMENIAN.Net - The project of new railway Kars-Akhalkalaki-Tbilisi-Baku (KATB) provides for building direct rail communication between Turkey and Georgia with following unification of the branch with that already available in Azerbaijan. This will result in the forming of a modern system of railways, linking the three states, Turkish FM Abdullah Gul said. In his words, «KATB opens new opportunities within the context of cargo transportation between Asia and Europe.» «In case Marmaray project (laying rail under the Bosporus) joins with the expected rail and sea route between Baku and Kazakhstan (Aktau) in the east and father to China, KATB will become part of a shorter rail communication between Asia and Europe,» he remarked.



Gul reminded that December 28, 2004 in Tbilisi Turkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan signed a protocol on the KATB project. According to the document, technical works within project implementation are held by a joint working group. May 25, 2005 three state leaders, present at the ceremony of pouring oil in Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline, signed a statement, supporting the KATB project. To discuss it the three Ministers of Transport gathered for talks in Istanbul September 19, 2005. This resulted in decision to sign an inter-governmental agreement soon, as well as start works on financial provision. According to Gul, engineering and technical works within the projects are carried out by a Turkish company and are funded by Turkey. They are planned to be completed in 2006. The international tender within the KATB will be announced after the projecting works are over, he added, reported Trend agency.



Armenia is against the building of the Kars-Akhalkalaki-Tbilisi-Baku railway, as it considers the project economically inexpedient, s the building of that rail branch is in contrast to the already available railway Kars-Gyumri-Tbilisi-Baku.