Breaking through blockade would be great feat for Armenia, president says

YEREVAN, February 4. /ARKA/. Breaking through the blockade would be a great feat for Armenia, Armenian president Serzh Sargsyan said in his interview to Commersant, in answering the question about opening the route via Abkhazia.

“For the economy, first of all. Due to impossible transportation or expensive transport costs some of our goods are simply uncompetitive today. Of course, four sides’ consent is required, but recently we hosted the Georgian premier Ivanishvili who assured me that the opening is to the benefit of Georgia as well,” Sargsyan said.

In speaking about Armenia’s relations with Iran, one of the main trade partners, Sargsyan said that UN Security Council’s sanctions on Iran can be hardly considered a total blockade.

“Armenia operates in strict compliance with the international law. Of course, there are sanctions. They hit the Iranian economy having a rebound effect on Armenia. Still, we are continuing elaboration of interesting joint projects, in hydro power in particular. Intense construction of a new international highway connecting Armenia with Iran is now underway, the next one will be a railway project,” the president said.

Azerbaijan’s and Turkey’s economic blockade of Armenia left the country with the only routes for transportation of goods - via Georgia and Iran. -0-