PROSPECTS OF GEORGIAN RAILWAY IN A NEW REALITY AFTER THE 50-DAY AZERBAIJAN-ARMENIA WAR
PROSPECTS OF GEORGIAN RAILWAY IN A NEW REALITY AFTER THE 50-DAY AZERBAIJAN-ARMENIA WAR

Summary/Abstract: The content of this article is derived and is reflecting the work of one of the authors (R. Nikolaishvili) in the framework of the doctoral thesis at the Free University of Tbilisi. The South Caucasus region, despite its size, can be regarded as globally important in geopolitical and geo-economical terms. One of the reasons for this are the transport links, in particular, the railway network, that not only serves the economic interest of the region but connects the wider region and has a potential to serve these trade links at a much higher effectiveness. Georgia is in the middle of this region and trade hub. In this regard, any development is of crucial national importance for Georgia. However, the region (the South Caucasus) houses potentially competitive projects, under the background of which one project may develop or decline at the expense of the other - some zero-sum game may occur, if not coordinated and concerted uniformly. On the other hand, a win-win situation or vision can be developed with the significant synergy effects, and those approaches have to be sought and developed for the entire South Caucasus, and could also suit economically directly adjacent major regional players (Turkey, Russia and Iran). In this article, it will be argued that today the South Caucasus (still divided along the "front lines", and in the aftermath of the 50-Day Azerbaijan-Armenia War), the wider region and may be even the global economy needs the concept of a Common Caucasian Railway. This idea can be found as accommodating and unifying both, the competing local visions, as well as west-east and north-south trade interest and projects. It may sound as a paradox, but the South Caucasus can accommodate the Chinese ambitions expressed in the One Belt - One Road Strategy, Russian trade ambitions and the Western visions of liberal international economic order, if not in a perfect harmony, but at least not total contradicting one another. And, this can be though as one of the main avenues for Georgia’s political and economic development.

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