Armenia can not replace Russia in operating railways -Shoigu

Any country is unlikely to be able to replace Russia in managing Armenia’s railways, given that the South Caucasus Railway transports all cargo critical to the republic, Russian Security Council Secretary Sergey Shoigu said.

"I am not going to assess the competence of other countries in managing their railway systems, but I can say with confidence that it is unlikely that any other company will be able to fully replace the Russian railway carrier, which has been working effectively and successfully in Armenia for a long time under rather difficult conditions," Shoigu said.

He stressed that the Armenian government’s plan to replace Russia in managing the republic’s railways is a poorly considered decision, as the established system could "collapse overnight".

"A system built up over almost two decades could simply collapse overnight. Naturally, no ‘friendly countries’ will take responsibility for this. I hope that in making responsible decisions, the Armenian leadership will act solely in the interests of its citizens," Shoigu said.

On February 13, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan proposed that Russia sell its concession rights to Armenia’s railways to a country friendly to both Moscow and Yerevan. He mentioned Kazakhstan, the UAE, and Qatar among the options.