Yerevan’s statements about transferring management of Armenian railways to another country are strange and hardly acceptable – Maria Zakharova

Moscow described Yerevan’s statements about transferring the management of Armenian railways from Russia to another country as “strange and hardly acceptable.”

“Russia consistently advocates for the unblocking of all communications. The Armenian railway has been managed by South Caucasus Railway for more than 20 years. Not only has it consistently fulfilled the terms of the concession agreement, but—perhaps forgotten in Yerevan—it has also invested significant funds (which, incidentally, have not been recouped) into infrastructure and rolling stock, while creating a large number of jobs,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said in a press briefing.

She added that Russian operators are the kind of structure that does not deprive Armenia of competitive advantages but creates them, and Russia’s position on restoring sections that would provide access to Azerbaijan and Turkey was previously expressed by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Overchuk.