From: Justin Burke (JBurke@sorosny.org)
Date: Wed Jun 20 2001 - 11:28:51 EDT
ARMENIA TO RECEIVE NEW LOANS FOR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS
Armenian government officials announced on 19 June that
Western donors have pledged some $180 million on new low-
interest loans over the next five years for measures to
modernize water mains and irrigation systems, RFE/RL's
Yerevan bureau reported. The World Bank is likely to provide
almost $150 million of which $65 million will be spent for
irrigation purposes, including a dam on the Arax River and
water mains for the Vayots Dzor, Armavir, and Tavush raions.
The Arax marks the border between Armenia and Turkey. The
German government is expected to provide a loan of 50 million
German marks ($23 million). Gagik Martirosian, who heads the
State Committee on Water Resources, said that the Arax dam
project has been agreed with the Turkish government despite
the formal absence of diplomatic relations between the two
countries. LF
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