Ankara determined to move Turkish-Georgian-Azeri rail project forward

The Turkish capital has clearly shrugged off a decision by the U.S. Senate's Banking Committee with which the committee blocked any funding by the U.S. Export-Import Bank for a proposed rail link that would connect Turkey with Azerbaijan through Georgia, bypassing Armenian territory.

The committee's unanimous approval of the measure introduced by Democratic Senator Robert Menendez of New Jersey late last month has been welcomed by the Armenian lobby in the United States.

The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA), which has lobbied the U.S. government to block the project, hailed the vote, saying: "We would like to thank Senator Menendez ... and all members of the Senate Banking Committee for ensuring that U.S. taxpayer funds are not wasted in the construction of an ill-advised railway project, initiated by Turkey and Azerbaijan solely to exclude Armenia."

According to the measure, the Export-Import Bank "shall not guarantee, insure or extend (or participate in the extension of) credit in connection with the export of any good or service relating to the development or promotion of any railway connection or railway-related connection that does not traverse or connect with Armenia, and does traverse or connect Baku, Azerbaijan, Tbilisi, Georgia, and Kars, Turkey."

However, a Turkish diplomat, speaking with the Turkish Daily News this week, hinted that Turkey didn't even bother to prevent approval of the bill by the Senate committee since Ankara by no means depends on financial resources beyond than those provided by the partner countries.

The U.S. administration has so far voiced no objections to the bill. "The proposed railway would bypass Armenia and thus not be beneficial to regional integration," Daniel Fried, assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian affairs, was however quoted as saying earlier this year by the Armenian media.

"The three countries, Turkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan, are firm on carrying out this project with their own financial resources; they have enough funds to finance the railway's construction in one way or another," the same diplomat said.

The Kars-Javakheti (Akhalkalaki)-Tbilisi-Baku railway project aims to set up a direct rail link between Turkey and Georgia, and between Turkey and Azerbaijan via Georgia. Turkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan signed a memorandum of understanding for the project on Dec. 28, 2004. The parties then established a working group. In September, 2005 Turkish, Azerbaijani and Georgian ministers gathered in Istanbul to discuss recent developments concerning the railway project and to devise concrete steps to actually carry out the project.

All three countries view this project as a chance for further development of the Eurasia-Caucasia-Asia transportation corridor and thus, for contributing to efforts for reviving the ancient Silk Road.

Besides linking the transportation networks of Turkey and Georgia and with Europe, the project is also a means for the European Union to increase its influence in the south Caucasus. The EU has already launched talks with Georgia under the European Neighborhood Policy initiative, and similar talks will soon begin with Armenia and Azerbaijan.

/Turkish Daily News/