Armenia will restore railway links to Turkey and Azerbaijan without Russia’s help, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said.
“Work has already begun on the Turkish side, and the railway will be opened, we will also begin reconstruction of the Yeraskh junction. The Armenian government will take this upon itself; although there is a concession agreement [with Russian Railways], we will make investment, we will repair the railway and restore it, and the railway line will be opened,” Pashinyan said at a meeting with voters as part of the election campaign on Sunday.
In addition, the Akhalkalaki-Kars railway (Georgia-Turkey) is open for exports from Armenia and imports to Armenia, he said.
“I am glad to announce that the Akhalkalaki-Kars railway, like the railway of Azerbaijan, is already open for exports from Armenia and imports to Armenia. This is a major event in the economic life of our country. I thank our partners from Turkey and Georgia,” Pashinyan said.
The CJSC South Caucasus Railway operating in Armenia is a 100% subsidiary of OJSC Russian Railways. The South Caucasus Railway manages Armenia’s railway transport system on the basis of a concession agreement signed between Russian Railways and the country from 2008. The agreement is signed for 30 years with the right of extension for another ten years.
Previously, Pashinyan asked Russia to urgently restore sections of the railway in Armenia leading to the borders of Azerbaijan and Turkey.
In particular, he asked his Russian colleagues to urgently carry out the full reconstruction of railway sections from Yeraskh (southwestern Armenia) to the border of Nakhichevan (Azerbaijan), from Ijevan (eastern Armenia) to Gazakh (western Azerbaijan), and from Akhurik (western Armenia) to the border with Turkey.
