China’s support Iran-Armenia railway plan good chance of breakthrough – analyst

The Armenian authorities must spare no effort to accomplish the construction of an Iran-Armenia railway and, if necessary, make its strategic partner, Russia, understand that operation of the railway is of vital importance to Armenia to break through the Azerbaijani-Turkish blockade, a political analyst has said, attaching a high value to China’s possible assistance in the initiative. 

“[It is vital] given that Armenia’s eastern and western borders are closed and the country has poor access to the north, Georgia, and the south, Iran. The access is poor because the way ends in Georgia. Indeed, it will be a highly valuable alternative way, which could break the blockade against Armenia by Azerbaijan and Turkey,” the Gagik Hambaryan told Tert.am as commenting on the premier-led Armenian delegation’s recent visit to China.

Earlier, Minister Transport and Communication Gagik Beglaryan stated that the issue of an Iran-Armenia railway would be on the agenda of an Armenian delegation’s visit to China this September and Armenia had received business proposals, including ones from China. Armenian Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan held a meeting with his Chinese counterpart Li Keqiang in Beijing, on Tuesday. Armenia’s premier is also scheduled to meet with Ms Hu Xiaolian, Chairperson of the Export-import Bank of China, and with the vice-president of the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC).
 

It is planned to launch the railway construction in 2016; the project’s estimated duration is six years. 

As to how realistic such a project is given the pessimistic attitude our Armenia’s strategic partner, Mr Hambaryan said that Russia is seeking to promote an Iran-Azerbaijan-Russia railway project rather than an Iran-Armenia-Georgia project. Another reason is that it is easier and less expensive.

Russia is just concerned over its finances because, with a 90-km section to be funded by Iran, the Armenian section is estimated at US $3-3.5bn. “I think that Armenia has its own interests and, if necessary, we could make our strategic partner understand that it is their own business if they object. And Armenia must pursue its own foreign policy, which may in many respect run counter to Russia’s,” the expert said.

Armenia cannot repeat a gross mistake similar to that of the gas pipeline. Mr Hambaryan calls on Armenian oligarchs to invest in an Iran-Armenia railway project.

As to China’s consistent interest in the project, Mr Habamaryan said that Turkey has overtly been sponsoring the clashes in eastern China. “And the Turkish president, who has declared himself ombudsman of Islam, has most actively been commenting on the clashes, defending the Uyghurs.”

That is, China and Armenia have identical interests in the region, the expert added.

Hambaryan said he would prefer the road not to cross Turkic-speaking states’ territory. “So in that sense, China, which pursues major interests, is eager to see that part of the Silk Road set in operation as part of the plan to lift the Iran sanctions, and it would prefer that route to extend from Iran to Armenia and then cross Georgia’s territory to reach Russia. For Iran, that route is of more importance than the one that proposes connecting it with Azerbaijan and later Russia,” the analyst added.