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TURKEY CONNECTS NAKHCHIVAN TO AZERBAIJAN WITH RAILWAY, NATURAL GAS PROJECTS
Today's Zaman (Turkey)
December 1, 2013 Sunday
Stuck between Iran and Armenia and located far from its national
homeland of Azerbaijan, the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic will be
better connected to Baku thanks to the Turkish rail line that will be
built between Igdir and Nakhchivan and natural gas transfer projects
announced by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
During a joint press conference with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev
in Ankara in November, Erdogan underlined Nakhchivan's importance to
Turkey and said Ankara will work to improve the country's difficult
position. He explained about natural gas and railway projects involving
Nakhchivan that are about to commence, stressing that Turkey is
dedicated to the continuation of its plans for the isolated region.
"Nakhchivan is of considerable importance to Turkey. ... Natural
gas [transfer] from Igdir to Nakhchivan and constructing a rail
line between Igdir and Nakhchivan [that will be connected to the
Kars-Tbilisi-Baku railway] were also discussed. The research on these
[projects] is beginning," he said. Erdogan also underlined Turkey's
commitment to the projects, stating, "We are taking these steps
determinedly."
One of the projects to improve the autonomous Nakhchivan's connection
with Azerbaijan is the Kars-Tbilisi-Baku railway, expected to be
completed in 2014. When operational, the railroad will unite the rail
networks of Central Asia, the Caucasus and China with those of Turkey
and Europe, facilitating the movement of cargo between the Asian and
European continents. With an additional rail line from between Igdir
to Nakhchivan, an eastern Turkish city bordering Nakhchivan, the
land-locked region will benefit from the increased economic activity
through Turkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan after the completion of the
main railroad.
The Center for Middle Eastern Studies' (ORSAM) Eurasia advisor,
Sureyya Yigit, told Sunday's Zaman that Turkey seemed to display the
importance it places on the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan at
the same press conference.
"Turkey wants Azerbaijan to regain the territories it lost and
re-establish its territorial integrity. And Nakhchivan is a part
of Azerbaijan. The Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway has the potential to
increase economic development in the region. If the railway project is
finalized [with an additional rail line between Igdir and Nakhchivan],
Nakhchivan's economy will improve considerably. The region will
provide more employment for its citizens and enjoy the increasing
trade activity in the region," Yigit said.
The territory linking Nakhchivan and Azerbaijan became part of Armenia
under the Soviet leadership of the early 1920s, thus separating
the autonomous region from the rest of Azerbaijan. All railways and
highways connecting the two regions were closed after Azerbaijan and
Armenia fought over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region. Since then,
air travel has been the most frequently used form of transport between
Azerbaijan proper and Nakhchivan.
A land connection between Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan is important
for both sides, as apart from 15-kilometer border with Turkey,
Azerbaijan's decades-old enemy Armenia and Yerevan's close ally Iran
enclose most of the autonomous region. Relations between Azerbaijan
and Armenia suffered greatly when they experienced a crisis over the
Nagorno-Karabakh region in the early 1990s, and Nakhchivan is still
affected by the conflict as Karki, an exclave of the autonomous region,
is still under Armenian occupation. Although Baku uses Iran to access
its province, Iran's stance, which changes according to Tehran's
interests, jeopardize a strong connection between Baku and Nakhchivan.
Kamer Kasim, vice president of the Ankara-based International
Strategic Research Organization (USAK), said that as Nakhchivan's
economy is dependent on Turkey, the trilateral connection between
Turkey, Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan will help to decrease the autonomous
region's isolation.
"The only way out for Nakhchivan is Turkey, in terms of its connection
with Azerbaijan. With the help of Turkey, it will be more connected
to its home country," he told Sunday's Zaman, referring to the fact
that among the neighboring countries, Turkey is the only door that
is open to the autonomous region.
Among the topics discussed between Erdogan and Aliyev were steps on
transferring gas from Igdir to Nakhchivan, another project that will
help strengthen the connection between Azerbaijan and its region. In
a display of solidarity with Azerbaijan on the Nakhchivan issue,
Turkey announced in 2010 that it would transport Azerbaijani gas to
Nakhchivan without asking any payment in return.
Today's Zaman (Turkey)
December 1, 2013 Sunday
Stuck between Iran and Armenia and located far from its national
homeland of Azerbaijan, the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic will be
better connected to Baku thanks to the Turkish rail line that will be
built between Igdir and Nakhchivan and natural gas transfer projects
announced by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
During a joint press conference with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev
in Ankara in November, Erdogan underlined Nakhchivan's importance to
Turkey and said Ankara will work to improve the country's difficult
position. He explained about natural gas and railway projects involving
Nakhchivan that are about to commence, stressing that Turkey is
dedicated to the continuation of its plans for the isolated region.
"Nakhchivan is of considerable importance to Turkey. ... Natural
gas [transfer] from Igdir to Nakhchivan and constructing a rail
line between Igdir and Nakhchivan [that will be connected to the
Kars-Tbilisi-Baku railway] were also discussed. The research on these
[projects] is beginning," he said. Erdogan also underlined Turkey's
commitment to the projects, stating, "We are taking these steps
determinedly."
One of the projects to improve the autonomous Nakhchivan's connection
with Azerbaijan is the Kars-Tbilisi-Baku railway, expected to be
completed in 2014. When operational, the railroad will unite the rail
networks of Central Asia, the Caucasus and China with those of Turkey
and Europe, facilitating the movement of cargo between the Asian and
European continents. With an additional rail line from between Igdir
to Nakhchivan, an eastern Turkish city bordering Nakhchivan, the
land-locked region will benefit from the increased economic activity
through Turkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan after the completion of the
main railroad.
The Center for Middle Eastern Studies' (ORSAM) Eurasia advisor,
Sureyya Yigit, told Sunday's Zaman that Turkey seemed to display the
importance it places on the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan at
the same press conference.
"Turkey wants Azerbaijan to regain the territories it lost and
re-establish its territorial integrity. And Nakhchivan is a part
of Azerbaijan. The Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway has the potential to
increase economic development in the region. If the railway project is
finalized [with an additional rail line between Igdir and Nakhchivan],
Nakhchivan's economy will improve considerably. The region will
provide more employment for its citizens and enjoy the increasing
trade activity in the region," Yigit said.
The territory linking Nakhchivan and Azerbaijan became part of Armenia
under the Soviet leadership of the early 1920s, thus separating
the autonomous region from the rest of Azerbaijan. All railways and
highways connecting the two regions were closed after Azerbaijan and
Armenia fought over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region. Since then,
air travel has been the most frequently used form of transport between
Azerbaijan proper and Nakhchivan.
A land connection between Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan is important
for both sides, as apart from 15-kilometer border with Turkey,
Azerbaijan's decades-old enemy Armenia and Yerevan's close ally Iran
enclose most of the autonomous region. Relations between Azerbaijan
and Armenia suffered greatly when they experienced a crisis over the
Nagorno-Karabakh region in the early 1990s, and Nakhchivan is still
affected by the conflict as Karki, an exclave of the autonomous region,
is still under Armenian occupation. Although Baku uses Iran to access
its province, Iran's stance, which changes according to Tehran's
interests, jeopardize a strong connection between Baku and Nakhchivan.
Kamer Kasim, vice president of the Ankara-based International
Strategic Research Organization (USAK), said that as Nakhchivan's
economy is dependent on Turkey, the trilateral connection between
Turkey, Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan will help to decrease the autonomous
region's isolation.
"The only way out for Nakhchivan is Turkey, in terms of its connection
with Azerbaijan. With the help of Turkey, it will be more connected
to its home country," he told Sunday's Zaman, referring to the fact
that among the neighboring countries, Turkey is the only door that
is open to the autonomous region.
Among the topics discussed between Erdogan and Aliyev were steps on
transferring gas from Igdir to Nakhchivan, another project that will
help strengthen the connection between Azerbaijan and its region. In
a display of solidarity with Azerbaijan on the Nakhchivan issue,
Turkey announced in 2010 that it would transport Azerbaijani gas to
Nakhchivan without asking any payment in return.