Armenian transit prospects

Armenian political analysts and senior state officials all highlight the wide prospects for economic and transport development if the Armenian-Turkish border is reopened. Finance Minister Tigran Davtian has stated that if the border opens Armenia will be integrated with the Euro-Asian railway and automobile transport network and Armenian forwarders will be able to access Europe through Turkey. This will also facilitate Armenia’s access to the Black Sea ports of Trabzon and Samsun and considerably decrease the transportation costs of Armenian businessmen and facilitate the development of the appropriate infrastructure.

This optimism is challenged by some analysts, who say that if the border is opened the closest Black Sea port will be Trabzon, but unlike Samsun there is no railway connection with it. However the closest Black Sea port to Armenia regardless of whether the border opens is actually Poti in Georgia, and the route to and from there has been established for some time.

Many different assessments are being made about the consequences of opening the Turkish-Armenian border but they are usually expressed as dreams and hopes for the future rather than reflecting the realities which might occur if the border opens in the near future.