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ARMENIAN AND GEORGIAN OFFICIALS DID NOT DISCUSS OPENING OF ABKHAZIAN RAILWAY SO FAR
by Tatevik Shahunyan
Friday, June 20, 10:57
Armenian and Georgian officials did not discuss opening of the
Abkhazian railway at their meeting in Tbilisi, Minister of Economy and
Sustainable Development of Georgia Georgy Kvirikashvili and Foreign
Minister of Georgia Maya Panjikidze told reporters, Thursday.
Kvirikashvili said that issue is complicate both technically and
politically. Maya Panjikidze, in turn, said that no a single word was
said about the Abkhazian railway at the 1.5-hour long meeting of the
Armenian and Georgian delegations, InterpressNews said.
Earlier, today, President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan told Rustavi-2
TV that 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. "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=1A2234F0-F848-11E3-80E70EB7C0D21663
From: A. Papazian
by Tatevik Shahunyan
Friday, June 20, 10:57
Armenian and Georgian officials did not discuss opening of the
Abkhazian railway at their meeting in Tbilisi, Minister of Economy and
Sustainable Development of Georgia Georgy Kvirikashvili and Foreign
Minister of Georgia Maya Panjikidze told reporters, Thursday.
Kvirikashvili said that issue is complicate both technically and
politically. Maya Panjikidze, in turn, said that no a single word was
said about the Abkhazian railway at the 1.5-hour long meeting of the
Armenian and Georgian delegations, InterpressNews said.
Earlier, today, President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan told Rustavi-2
TV that 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. "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=1A2234F0-F848-11E3-80E70EB7C0D21663
From: A. Papazian