Armenia-Kazakhstan Parliamentary Friendship Group considers plans for alternative route project  

Possibilities of an alternative route connecting Armenia and Kazakhstan to boost the mutual trade turnover were discussed in the course of an Armenian parliamentary delegation’s recent visit to the country's capital.

Speaking to reporters at the National Assembly, Mikael Melkumyan of the Prosperous Armenia faction said the considered steps towards using the roadway lying between Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan on the one hand and Turkmenistan and Iran on the other .

“Specific measures for improving the trade turnover and finding, to that effect, alternative routes were considered. Our turnover is very low  now – $16-$17 million,” he said, attributing the problem to logistical issues.

The parliamentary friendship group, formed after a three-year interval, was in Nursultan from 21 to 24 May to discuss a variety of multi-profile issues (addressing the two countries’ cooperation within the EAEU, as well as other mutual concerns).

“We tried to upgrade the bilateral relations to a new level,” said Vahgharshak Hakobyan (My Step faction), the parliamnetary group's keader.

 Anush Begloian, also a member of the ruling parliamentary group, said they reaffirmed the policy-building principle relying on stability and predictability. “This was a kind of benefit performance for our new parliament in Kazakhstan, which was very important indeed. The information gap that existed can be considered closed now. The first thing we said was Armenia's policies are built upon stability and predictability to give our partners the understanding that geopolitics doesn’t change in the frameworks of the EAEU. That aroused a great enthusiasm, inspiring also confidence,” she added.