Shavarsh Kocharyan: Armenia will export electricity to Iraq via Iran

ArmInfo. Armenia is currently  actively working with Iran and Georgia for implementing new projects  in various fields, Deputy Foreign Minister Shavarsh Kocharyan stated  in parliament today. 

At the same time he stressed that there is an unspoken arrangement  with Iran and Georgia to work and implement much and announce a  little of it, so most of the work is not publicized. At the same time  the Deputy Minister informed that currently negotiations are being  held on opening transit routes connecting Iran with European and  Asian countries through Armenia and Georgia's territories. 

As for the Iran-Armenia railway the problem is in finding new  financial resources. "Iran is ready to finance its part of the  railway, the question of financing the Armenian section remains open.  Unfortunately, Iran can not finance construction of the Armenian  section as after lifting sanctions it needs financial inflows in its  own economy", Kocharyan explained. 

Answering to the question why in such a case the project of  Iran-Azerbaijan railway is being successfully implemented Kocharyan  assured that Azerbaijan has taken financing of the whole project. 

Kocharyan also informed that by the end of this year a high-voltage  Georgia-Armenia power transmission line will be finished, while  Iran-Armenia power transmission line will be built by the end of  2017.  According to Kocharyan Armenia will provide electricity to  Iran, while Iran in turn will provide it to Iraq.  Thus, Armenia will  export electricity to Iraq via Iran. 

The Armenian government approved preliminary program of Iran-Armenia  railway construction on August 7 2014. According to the program the  railway will be 305 km long and will consist of 64 bridges and 60  tunnels. The estimated cost of the project is $3.5bn. it was expected  that the construction would finish in 2022.  It is anticipated that  the annual freight activity on the railway route from Gagarin Station  (Gegharkunik region) to Agarak (Syunik region) will total 25 million  tons. Chinese banks are interested in the project and have expressed  readiness to provide 60% of financing.