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Noyan Tapan News Agency
Oct 14 2005
INTERNATIONAL OPPOSITION CONTINUES TO MOUNT AGAINST CAUCASUS
RAILROAD PROPOSAL THAT BYPASSES ARMENIA
WASHINGTON, OCTOBER 14, NOYAN TAPAN - ARMENIANS TODAY. The European
Commission has added its voice to the growing international
opposition to a Caucasus railroad proposal by the Turkish government
that would, if built, institutionalize Turkey's border closure with
Armenia, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).
The Commission's position was articulated this week by the
Directorate General for Transport and Energy. In explaining why the
European Union would not support the creation of this rail line, the
Directorate noted that its construction was both unnecessary and
inefficient in light of the existing railroad connecting Kars,
Gyumri, and Tbilisi. This line, which passes through Armenia, was
effectively shut down more than a decade ago by Turkey's imposition
of its blockade of Armenia, which continues to this day.
The Commission's adoption of this position comes in response to a May
21st letter from Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian to Jacques
Barrot, Deputy Chairman of the European Commission. In this letter,
the Foreign Minister outlined the destabilizing implications of the
proposed route bypassing Armenia, and stressed the willingness of the
government of Armenia to cooperate in the reactivation of the
existing Kars-Gyumri-Tbilisi railway, which remains fully functional
but unused due to the unilateral Turkish blockade.
"We welcome the wise position taken by the European Commission
against Turkey's most recent effort to effectively institutionalize
its border closure with Armenia. The well founded concerns raised by
the Commission reflect and reinforce those being addressed in the
U.S. Congress by the South Caucasus Integration and Open Railroads
Act," said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. "In pressing
forward so recklessly with this politically motivated proposal,
Turkey openly disregards the Administration's repeated calls to end
its decade-long border closure with Armenia. Clearly, this disregard
must be recognized and reckoned with by the U.S. Congress, which
should, in the coming weeks, act in an urgent and decisive manner to
check Turkey's growing indifference to U.S. priorities in the
region."
On July 21st, Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs Joe Knollenberg (R-MI) and
Frank Pallone (D-NJ), along with Rep. George Radanovich (R-CA),
introduced legislation addressing this issue by barring U.S.
financing for such rail projects circumventing Armenia. The ANCA
welcomed this bipartisan effort, noting that it would protect U.S.
taxpayers from subsidizing a totally unnecessary and regionally
destabilizing proposal by Turkey aimed at isolating Armenia. The
measure, known as the "South Caucasus Integration and Open Railroads
Act of 2005" (H.R.3361), currently has 39 House cosponsors and is
gaining support from both sides of the aisle.
The text of the legislation notes "the exclusion of Armenia from
regional economic and commercial undertakings in the South Caucasus
undermines the United States policy goal of promoting a stable and
cooperative environment in the region." In its operative section, the
legislation prohibits U.S. assistance "to develop or promote any rail
connections or railway-related connections that do not traverse or
connect with Armenia, but do traverse or connect Baku, Azerbaijan;
Tbilisi, Georgia; and Kars, Turkey." Specific forms of U.S.
assistance prohibited would include: foreign economic and development
aid, Overseas Private Investment Corporation, Trade and Development
Agency, and the Export-Import Bank.
The ANCA raised this issue publicly as early as June 10th of this
year in a question to Foreign Minister Oskanian, during a briefing at
the National Press Club. Minister Oskanian expressed concern that
this would be a wasteful undertaking for the international community.
He said that they [Turkey] are "planning on spending something from 0
million to billion to put that railroad in place."
The Minister closed his comments, by stressing that, "This is in no
one's interest - not the U.S. or European Union or the countries
involved. I have raised this issue with the Administration and they
understand, they promised to follow this, and to try to talk them
[the Turkish government] out of engaging in this type of senseless,
useless activity."
Oct 14 2005
INTERNATIONAL OPPOSITION CONTINUES TO MOUNT AGAINST CAUCASUS
RAILROAD PROPOSAL THAT BYPASSES ARMENIA
WASHINGTON, OCTOBER 14, NOYAN TAPAN - ARMENIANS TODAY. The European
Commission has added its voice to the growing international
opposition to a Caucasus railroad proposal by the Turkish government
that would, if built, institutionalize Turkey's border closure with
Armenia, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).
The Commission's position was articulated this week by the
Directorate General for Transport and Energy. In explaining why the
European Union would not support the creation of this rail line, the
Directorate noted that its construction was both unnecessary and
inefficient in light of the existing railroad connecting Kars,
Gyumri, and Tbilisi. This line, which passes through Armenia, was
effectively shut down more than a decade ago by Turkey's imposition
of its blockade of Armenia, which continues to this day.
The Commission's adoption of this position comes in response to a May
21st letter from Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian to Jacques
Barrot, Deputy Chairman of the European Commission. In this letter,
the Foreign Minister outlined the destabilizing implications of the
proposed route bypassing Armenia, and stressed the willingness of the
government of Armenia to cooperate in the reactivation of the
existing Kars-Gyumri-Tbilisi railway, which remains fully functional
but unused due to the unilateral Turkish blockade.
"We welcome the wise position taken by the European Commission
against Turkey's most recent effort to effectively institutionalize
its border closure with Armenia. The well founded concerns raised by
the Commission reflect and reinforce those being addressed in the
U.S. Congress by the South Caucasus Integration and Open Railroads
Act," said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. "In pressing
forward so recklessly with this politically motivated proposal,
Turkey openly disregards the Administration's repeated calls to end
its decade-long border closure with Armenia. Clearly, this disregard
must be recognized and reckoned with by the U.S. Congress, which
should, in the coming weeks, act in an urgent and decisive manner to
check Turkey's growing indifference to U.S. priorities in the
region."
On July 21st, Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs Joe Knollenberg (R-MI) and
Frank Pallone (D-NJ), along with Rep. George Radanovich (R-CA),
introduced legislation addressing this issue by barring U.S.
financing for such rail projects circumventing Armenia. The ANCA
welcomed this bipartisan effort, noting that it would protect U.S.
taxpayers from subsidizing a totally unnecessary and regionally
destabilizing proposal by Turkey aimed at isolating Armenia. The
measure, known as the "South Caucasus Integration and Open Railroads
Act of 2005" (H.R.3361), currently has 39 House cosponsors and is
gaining support from both sides of the aisle.
The text of the legislation notes "the exclusion of Armenia from
regional economic and commercial undertakings in the South Caucasus
undermines the United States policy goal of promoting a stable and
cooperative environment in the region." In its operative section, the
legislation prohibits U.S. assistance "to develop or promote any rail
connections or railway-related connections that do not traverse or
connect with Armenia, but do traverse or connect Baku, Azerbaijan;
Tbilisi, Georgia; and Kars, Turkey." Specific forms of U.S.
assistance prohibited would include: foreign economic and development
aid, Overseas Private Investment Corporation, Trade and Development
Agency, and the Export-Import Bank.
The ANCA raised this issue publicly as early as June 10th of this
year in a question to Foreign Minister Oskanian, during a briefing at
the National Press Club. Minister Oskanian expressed concern that
this would be a wasteful undertaking for the international community.
He said that they [Turkey] are "planning on spending something from 0
million to billion to put that railroad in place."
The Minister closed his comments, by stressing that, "This is in no
one's interest - not the U.S. or European Union or the countries
involved. I have raised this issue with the Administration and they
understand, they promised to follow this, and to try to talk them
[the Turkish government] out of engaging in this type of senseless,
useless activity."