Russian Foreign Ministry Claims West Is “Blackmailing” Armenia Over South Caucasus Railway

MOSCOW — Moscow views Armenia’s statements about transferring the Russian concession for the South Caucasus Railway to another party as the result of alleged Western pressure on Armenia, according to Russia’s Foreign Ministry.

Interfax reported the ministry as saying that, because the issue of transferring the concession had not previously been raised, there were grounds to believe that Armenian authorities were being pressured to remove Russia’s role from the country’s transportation sector.

“Considering that the issue of transferring the concession to anyone had never previously been raised, it can most likely be assumed that the Armenian authorities are simply being blackmailed. They are being required to eliminate the Russian factor from the transportation sector, while in return they are being promised multimillion-dollar investments and participation in projects whose economic viability is difficult to see. This fully corresponds to the logic of the West’s unscrupulous efforts to push Russia out of the region,” Interfax quoted the Russian Foreign Ministry as saying.

The Russian Foreign Ministry also said Yerevan’s claims that the Russian concession prevents Armenia from joining international logistics initiatives “absolutely do not correspond to reality.”

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had earlier said that if management of Armenia’s railways remains under Russian control, the country could lose opportunities to integrate into international railway networks.

He also said Armenia had asked the Russian side to sell the concession rights for the South Caucasus Railway to a third country.