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Gurban Nezirov: Changes inside the Georgian government will not impact on implementation of Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway project

29 November 2012 13:35 (UTC +04:00)

Baku. Nijat Mustafayev – APA-Economics. Current changes inside the Georgian government will not impact on the implementation of Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway project, Senior Engineer at Azerbaijan Railways Gurban Nezirov told APA-Economics.

To him, at present time, all works connected with the projects are carried out in accordance with the schedule and the restructuration inside the Georgian government will not affect this process.

Nezirov noted that at the end of next year it was planned to test the first train on new Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway line.

Remind that the construction of the section of Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway line between Turkey and Azerbaijan was completed. AZN 326.9 mln from AZN 775 mln, allocated on the basis of interstate agreement for realization of Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway construction project, has been spent during 2007-2012. Of these, AZN 47.1 mln has been spent in Q1, 2012.

Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey signed the final document on the construction of Baku-Tbilisi-Kars on February 8, 2007. The construction of the new railway started on November 21, 2007. Azerbaijan extended $200mln preferential loan for Marabda-Kartsakhi Railway LLC (for 25 years) to construct Georgian part of the railway. At the expense of this loan new 29km-road and wheels changing station will be constructed and the old road will be reconstructed.
Moreover, Azerbaijan extended extra funds for Georgia $575mln. (for 25 years) to change the direction of the tunnel that will be built in the area from Akhalkalaki by the Turkish border and rehabilitate and reconstruct 160km railway in Marabda-Akhalkalaki. Baku-Tbilisi-Kars project is being implemented with the financial support of the State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan.