ArmInfo. Over the 20-year concession period, South Caucasus Railways (SCR) has invested approximately 30 billion rubles in rolling stock and railway infrastructure in Armenia. This was stated by Armenian Ambassador to Russia Sergey Kopyrkin in an interview with 24News, commenting on the possible transfer of the Russian concession for Armenian railways to Kazakhstan.
The ambassador noted that Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk discussed this issue in detail, and Russian Transport Minister Andrei Nikitin and Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova also commented on the situation. "I would just like to add that the South Caucasus Railway plays a significant role in Armenia's economy and social sphere. The company employs 2,500 people, and its annual passenger turnover is 500,000, of which 360,000 are domestic passengers. Over the 20-year concession, SCR has invested approximately 30 billion rubles in rolling stock and infrastructure in Armenia. While this amount does not reflect the entire scope of SCR's work, it is an important indicator," the ambassador noted.
Furthermore, the diplomat recalled the floods in the Lori region in May-June 2024, when a section of the railway was destroyed. Then, as Kopyrkin noted, specialists from Russian Railways, on the orders of Russian President Vladimir Putin, restored it in three weeks, an unprecedented timeframe for such a scale of destruction. "Russian Railways executives and representatives, as well as South Caucasus Railway management, worked on-site around the clock. For example, on June 12, when a state reception was scheduled, the South Caucasus Railway CEO informed me he would be unable to attend because they were busy with restoration work. Incidentally, both he and the Russian Railways CEO were awarded awards by the Republic of Armenia for their contributions. This is a very telling example. At that time, there was no talk of transferring the concession. At least, I know nothing about it," Kopyrkin added.
However, according to him, the logic of events compels one to reflect on the current situation. "Alexey Loginovich spoke frankly on this issue in his interview. He also recalled the events of 2020 (the 44-day war between Armenia and Azerbaijan - ed.), noting that the roots of normalizing relations were laid with Russia's active participation. A series of high-level agreements in 2020-2022 formed the foundation for the current steps towards normalization. Negotiations on a peace treaty, issues of border delimitation and demarcation, and the unblocking of communications - all of this remains a shared interest of Russia and Armenia. The foundational principles were laid then," Kopyrkin recalled.
According to him, the changes and adjustments that occurred later were not initiated by the Russian side. Nevertheless, he emphasized that the Russian side fully respects the positions of the negotiating parties. "We believe it's up to them to decide the format and manner of these negotiations, but we clearly state that we are ready to continue providing assistance in the volumes and forms requested by both sides. This position remains unchanged," the ambassador noted.
In the context of the opening of communications, the ambassador recalled the direct railway connection between Russia and Armenia, through which Russian grain was delivered to Armenia, adding that the Russian side views this opportunity positively. "We evaluate any infrastructure projects primarily from the perspective of how they contribute to the unblocking of Armenia and the improvement of transport links in the region. Russia is interested in this, and as Overchuk emphasized in his interview, this is a shared interest with the Republic of Armenia. This applies both to the Republic of Armenia itself, a member of the Eurasian Economic Union, and to neighboring countries - Iran and Turkey. In our view, unblocking such links is an important condition for the development of the region, strengthening stability and security, and promoting prosperity. So our position is clear and distinct," the ambassador noted.
Meanwhile, as Kopyrkin noted, regarding Trump's route, there are some uncertainties, as specific information on this project is still lacking, especially in light of current events surrounding Iran. The ambassador emphasized that, given regional tensions, the prospects are becoming unclear. He noted that even the Armenian side has noted that the US administration currently has other priorities.
"In general, the developments around Iran and the Middle East will impact economic indicators and investment security-there are more questions than answers. Therefore, we have initially taken the following position: we welcome anything that helps resolve the communications situation, but we are awaiting details. Here, it is important to consider the following points that we always emphasize: The factor of membership in the EAEU, which requires adherence to certain legal norms, must be taken into account. Secondly, the presence of Russian border guards in this area and the consideration of the interests of the countries in the region and its neighbors-Iran, Turkey, and Russia. In light of the ongoing events in the region, the question of how the Iranian side will respond arises-that too is a question. Thus, there is a whole range of issues and questions that require clarification," Kopyrkin concluded.
As a reminder, JSC South Caucasus Railway is a wholly owned subsidiary of JSC Russian Railways. On February 13, 2008, a concession agreement was signed in Yerevan between Russian Railways and the Republic of Armenia transferring the management of the Republic's rail transport system to South Caucasus Railways (SCR).
According to the agreement, the concession management term is 30 years, with the right to extend it for an additional 10 years after the first twenty years of operation by mutual agreement of the parties. SCR's responsibilities include modernizing the Republic of Armenia's railway infrastructure, developing cooperation with Armenia's neighboring countries, and developing domestic and international passenger and freight service. The Company's investment totals $572 million. SCR commenced operations on June 1, 2008.
