Yerevan, January 25 – Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has affirmed that the alternative cargo corridor announced by Azerbaijan and Armenia poses no threat to Georgia’s transit potential. This declaration comes in response to recent statements made by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturyan in Davos, concerning the possibility of direct cargo transportation between Baku and Yerevan, against a backdrop of improving bilateral relations.
Kobakhidze: Alternative Route Poses No Danger to Georgia
According to ABC.AZ, Prime Minister Kobakhidze emphasized that the alternative route does not present a danger to Georgia’s established transit role. He highlighted a key indicator supporting this assertion: a sevenfold increase in cargo transportation volume through the Middle Corridor over the past five years.
“There is a simple indicator that confirms this: in the last five years, the volume of cargo transportation through the Middle Corridor has increased sevenfold. Under these conditions, our main task is to use the existing infrastructure more efficiently to meet the growing cargo turnover. Against the background of such growth, an alternative corridor will simply be an addition to our transit function,” underscored the head of the Georgian government.
Growing Freight Turnover and Regional Cooperation
The Prime Minister’s remarks suggest a confident outlook on Georgia’s strategic importance in regional logistics. The significant growth in cargo traffic through the Middle Corridor indicates a robust demand for transit services in the region, which Georgia is well-positioned to meet.
Furthermore, it is noted that since the end of last year, Azerbaijan has already been supplying oil products to Armenia via Georgian territory, as reported by Georgia Online. This existing cooperation demonstrates Georgia’s integral role in facilitating trade between its neighbors, even prior to the formal announcement of the alternative corridor.
Implications for Regional Transit and Economic Development
The establishment of an alternative corridor between Azerbaijan and Armenia, while potentially offering new routes and options for cargo movement, is viewed by Georgia as complementary rather than competitive. This perspective suggests a broader understanding of regional economic development, where multiple transit routes can coexist and contribute to overall prosperity.
The ongoing discussions and developments in regional transit infrastructure underscore the dynamic nature of economic and political relations in the South Caucasus. Georgia’s continued focus on enhancing its existing infrastructure and adapting to increasing cargo demands positions it as a resilient and adaptable player in the evolving transit landscape.
The statements from Prime Minister Kobakhidze aim to reassure stakeholders about Georgia’s enduring role as a crucial transit hub, emphasizing that any new routes will only serve to augment the region’s overall transit capabilities rather than diminish existing ones.
Source: https://www.golosarmenii.am/arm/%D5%AF%D5%B8%D5%A2%D5%A1%D5%AD%D5%AB%D5%B1%D5%A5%E2%80%A4-%D5%A1%D5%A4%D6%80%D5%A2%D5%A5%D5%BB%D5%A1%D5%B6%D5%AB-%D6%87-%D5%B0%D5%A1%D5%B5%D5%A1%D5%BD%D5%BF%D5%A1%D5%B6%D5%AB-%D5%A1%D5%B5%D5%AC%D5%A8/
