Ministry of Transport: By the end of the year, the Upper Lars checkpoint will be completed

ArmInfo. The Russian and Georgian sides agreed on the extension of the road in the Upper Lars transport area and on the modernization of checkpoints. The Minister of Transport, Communications and IT of Armenia Vahan Martirosyan told journalists on March 6 at the margins of the meeting of the TRACECA Intergovernmental Commission.

He stressed that construction will be started this year, and by the end of this year, work will be completed to modernize the checkpoints. Regarding the construction of the tunnel, the Minister noted that construction work will be started a little later.

Speaking about the alternatives to Upper Lars, V. Martirosyan noted that Armenia asked Russia for additional directions. In addition, according to him, Armenia itself is actively looking for alternative ways to carry out cargo transportation. In this context, the head of the agency noted the ferry directions, which, according to him, are working successfully today. In particular, he stressed that most of the cargoes from Armenia are carried out by ferry services.

Concerning the possibility of creating a transport corridor through the territory of North Ossetia and Abkhazia, the Minister stressed: "Today this topic is in the focus of attention, but again I note that this issue can be resolved only within the framework of Russian-Georgian political relations." Recall that the former military road through the Verkhny Lars checkpoint since the beginning of the 1990s was the only land route providing Armenia's connection with Russia. The checkpoint is periodically closed - in the winter due to avalanches, and in the spring - due to mudflows.

Prime Minister of Armenia Karen Karapetyan talked about the need to create an alternative to the "Upper Lars" road at a government meeting on January 26. As an alternative, which requires a political solution for the countries of the region, the roads linking Georgia and Russia through the conflict zones, which are Ossetia and Abkhazia, could be used.