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Russia is interested in the blockade of Armenia?

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  • Russia is interested in the blockade of Armenia?

    RUSSIA IS INTERESTED IN THE BLOCKADE OF ARMENIA?

    Pan Armenian News

    06.05.2005, "PanARMENIAN Network" analytical department

    The technical-economic assessment of Kazvin-Resht-Astara railway
    construction may produce such an impression on anyone.

    The representatives of Iran, Russia and Azerbaijan transport
    ministries signed a final agreement in Tehran on the construction
    of Kazvin-Resht-Astara railway, which will ensure direct railway
    communication between Moscow and Tehran via Baku. It is worth
    mentioning that the implementation of the project with an estimated
    cost of 600 million dollars may result in the isolation of Armenia
    since it removes our country from the global transport network.

    /PanARMENIAN.Net/ It is quite obvious that the project has more
    political than economic aims. As it is known, there already exists
    a road that connects Iran to Russia. The road passes through
    Julfa-Nakhichevan-Ararat section, which is currently closed. The
    refusal of Azerbaijan to open the road is just a caprice since the
    Karabakh conflict does not in any way hinder the railway communication,
    because the railway passes neither through Azerbaijan nor through the
    Armenian controlled security zones. It should be noted that the opening
    of the non-functioning segment and the resumption of vertical transport
    corridor does not contradict to the interests of Azerbaijan at all. In
    any case the road remains an important link of the chain. Thus,
    it is clear that official Baku artificially hinders the resumption
    of existing communications for one single aim: to achieve Armenia's
    exclusion and isolation from the North-South transport axis.

    The logic of official Baku is understandable. But very strange is the
    behavior of Moscow who agrees to take part in the implementation of
    the doubtful project, which is fraught with the isolation of Armenia
    - the strategic partner of Russia. Instead, Moscow was supposed to
    influence Azerbaijan and make them open the Julfa-Ararat railway.
    Not long ago, the Prime Minister of Armenia shared his worry concerning
    the issue with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia. The Russian
    minister promised to make efforts for the protection of the interests
    of Yerevan. But the approval of the agreement by the president of the
    state "Russian railways" company Genady Fadeev confirms the fact that
    Sergey Lavrov did not keep his word.

    Thus, Russia neglected the interest of its ally and agreed to make huge
    investments in the implementation of the project with a very doubtful
    payback. Russian experts have assessed that Kazvin-Resht-Astara railway
    can become profitable in five years only in case of transporting 20
    tons of cargo each year. This could be achieved only if this was the
    only railway connecting Russia and Iran. So, it turns out that the
    initiators of the project are not interested in the functioning of
    Kars-Gyumri railroad, which will be a harmful alternative to the new
    road. Does it really mean that it will be more favorable for Moscow -
    one of the initiators of the project, to keep the transport blockade
    of Armenia?

    The strange behavior of Moscow makes the words of President Vladimir
    Putin completely senseless. He said that Armenia is one of the most
    reliable partners of Russia. Partners are not treated with in such a
    way. What if Yerevan treats Russia in the same way? After all this,
    the leadership of Armenia has a full moral right to finally agree
    to the construction of Iran - Ukraine gas pipeline, passing through
    Armenia. Own interests are higher than those of partners. If it so,
    there is no need for Armenia to worry about the several milliards of
    dollars that "Gasprom" and the Russian government will lose.

    Artyom Yerkanyan

    06.05.2005, "PanARMENIAN Network" analytical department
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