AZE.US
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said he plans to discuss the future of Russia’s concession to operate the South Caucasus Railway during his next meeting with President Vladimir Putin.
The issue is closely linked to Armenia’s plans to restore railway sections near its borders with Azerbaijan and Turkey.
Pashinyan described the railway as one of the most important issues on the agenda for his forthcoming talks with Putin.
In an interview with BoonTV, Pashinyan said the two sides would seek mutually acceptable solutions. No date has been announced for his visit to Moscow. The Kremlin has said the timing will be coordinated around the leaders’ schedules.
Why the Concession Is Under Scrutiny
Armenia transferred its railway infrastructure to the South Caucasus Railway in 2008 under a 30-year concession agreement that can be extended for another 10 years.
The agreement has come under renewed scrutiny as Yerevan considers rebuilding railway sections near the Azerbaijani and Turkish borders.
In May, Pashinyan said Armenia was prepared to finance the reconstruction itself and proposed that Moscow consider transferring the concession to a friendly third country.
Russian Transport Minister Andrei Nikitin later said such an option was not under discussion. Pashinyan’s latest remarks indicate that Yerevan now plans to raise the matter directly with Putin.
AZE.US