ARMENIA IS READY TO RESTORE RAILWAY COMMUNICATION WITH AZERBAIJAN, SAID THE FOREIGN MINISTER OF ARMENIA

11.07.2000, MEDIAMAX, YEREVAN. Armenia is ready to restore the railway communication with Azerbaijan on the Baku-Meghri-Nakhichevan route, but official Baku has taken a tough stand and denies any possibility of economic cooperation with Armenia until the Karabakh problem is settled. About this declared today the foreign minister of Armenia Vardan Oskanian at the press conference in the National press club.
The Armenian minister noted that the suggestion of restoring the railway connection between Armenia and Azerbaijan was raised about a year ago by the European Union, which thought that it would increase the possibilities of TRACECA program to a considerable extent. Oskanian declared that Azerbaijan put forward a number of preliminary conditions then, in particular – the liberation of several occupied territories which was unacceptable for Yerevan and Stepanakert. “After the refusal of the Azerbaijani side this question was in fact taken off from the agenda, but Armenia is ready to consider it again”, said the Armenian minister. -0-