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SERZH SARGSYAN: ARMENIA SEEKS RESTORATION OF DIRECT RAILWAY COMMUNICATION BETWEEN GEORGIA AND RUSSIA VIA ABKHAZIA
by Marianna Lazarian
Friday, June 20, 10:55
Armenia seeks restoration of direct railway communication linking
Georgia and Russia via the territory of Abkhazia, but is no 'serious
talk' on that topic so far, Armenia's President Serzh Sargsyan told
Rustavi-2 TV, Novosti-Gruzia reports. The Armenian president is on
an official visit to Georgia these days.
"However, we want that railway to function. It is of vital importance
for us," Serzh Sargsyan said. Nevertheless, the president said,
opening of the railway does not depend on Armenia and Russia only. "It
depends also on other countries, therefore we are actively working on
the issue," he said. Earlier, on Wednesday, Georgia's State Minister
for Reconciliation and Civil Equality Paata Zakareishvili commented
on the statement by Vladimir Yakunin who urged more specific efforts
on opening of the railway communication via Abkhazia and Georgia to
Armenia. Zakareishvili said that the issue is not discussed so far,
though it may become a subject for discussion in future between
Georgia and Russia, particularly, between Georgian Prime Minister's
Special Representative for the relations with Russia Zurab Abashidze
and Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia Grigory Karasin.
According to the study "Rehabilitation of the railways in the South
Caucasus" issued by the International Alert British NGO, the potential
costs of rehabilitating the South Caucasus railways, in particular
the Sochi-Sukhum/i-Tbilisi-Yerevan railway, will totaled $277.5 mln,
which can be returned in 100 years no sooner.
Restoration of the 190km section Psou-Inguri will cost $251 million.
The Inguri-Zugdigi section will cost $26.5 million dollars. The section
from Zugdigi to Tbilisi and farther to Yerevan needs no repair. It
is noteworthy that Abkhazian experts estimate rehabilitation of the
railway at $350-$400 million. Meanwhile, Georgian experts claim that
the project will cost some $73 million.
http://www.arminfo.am/index.cfm?objectid=E211CA30-F847-11E3-80E70EB7C0D21663
by Marianna Lazarian
Friday, June 20, 10:55
Armenia seeks restoration of direct railway communication linking
Georgia and Russia via the territory of Abkhazia, but is no 'serious
talk' on that topic so far, Armenia's President Serzh Sargsyan told
Rustavi-2 TV, Novosti-Gruzia reports. The Armenian president is on
an official visit to Georgia these days.
"However, we want that railway to function. It is of vital importance
for us," Serzh Sargsyan said. Nevertheless, the president said,
opening of the railway does not depend on Armenia and Russia only. "It
depends also on other countries, therefore we are actively working on
the issue," he said. Earlier, on Wednesday, Georgia's State Minister
for Reconciliation and Civil Equality Paata Zakareishvili commented
on the statement by Vladimir Yakunin who urged more specific efforts
on opening of the railway communication via Abkhazia and Georgia to
Armenia. Zakareishvili said that the issue is not discussed so far,
though it may become a subject for discussion in future between
Georgia and Russia, particularly, between Georgian Prime Minister's
Special Representative for the relations with Russia Zurab Abashidze
and Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia Grigory Karasin.
According to the study "Rehabilitation of the railways in the South
Caucasus" issued by the International Alert British NGO, the potential
costs of rehabilitating the South Caucasus railways, in particular
the Sochi-Sukhum/i-Tbilisi-Yerevan railway, will totaled $277.5 mln,
which can be returned in 100 years no sooner.
Restoration of the 190km section Psou-Inguri will cost $251 million.
The Inguri-Zugdigi section will cost $26.5 million dollars. The section
from Zugdigi to Tbilisi and farther to Yerevan needs no repair. It
is noteworthy that Abkhazian experts estimate rehabilitation of the
railway at $350-$400 million. Meanwhile, Georgian experts claim that
the project will cost some $73 million.
http://www.arminfo.am/index.cfm?objectid=E211CA30-F847-11E3-80E70EB7C0D21663