Azernews.Az

The Russian Railways company plans to restore Armenia's railway link with Turkey and Azerbaijan in 2009-2010, Armenian Transport and Communications Minister Andranik Manukian said.
Commenting on the process of transferring Armenian Railways closed joint-stock company to private ownership, he said: "In accord with the package of proposals submitted for the transfer of the company to concessional management, Russian Railways intends to open up communications with Turkey in 2009 and with Azerbaijan in 2010."
Armenian Railways, a fully state-owned company, has been so far in charge of the South Caucasus republic's entire railway infrastructure. Russian Railways remained the sole participant of the tender for the Armenian company's privatization after India's Rail India Technical and Economic Services (RITES) withdrew its bid after qualifying in the first stage. RITES explained the move by its vying in another tender that was being held in Africa at the time. Under the tender terms, the Russian company could now be entitled to managing Armenia's railways for 30 years, with the right to further extend the agreement for another 20 years.
Russian Railways plans to invest a total of $570 million in Armenian Railways, of which $230 million will be channeled within the next five years. If Armenia's "transport blockade" is lifted and the Abkhazia railway opened in neighboring Georgia, the investments will reach $2.13 billion, Manukian said.
The transport links between Armenia and its neighbors - Russia and Azerbaijan - were disrupted as a result of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh and the conflict over the Georgian region of Abkhazia.
The minister noted that under a 30-year investment program, the Armenian government planned investments in the country's railway lines worth only $170 million.