Minister of Transport denies a plan to link the railways with Kuwait

INA - Baghdad

Minister of Transport, Nasser Al-Shibli, denied a plan to connect the railways with Kuwait, while noting the possibility of completing Faw port by loans if the required sums were not provided.

"The railway connection to Iraq is important, but it must be done through an economic study," said Al-Shibli to Iraqi News Agency (INA).

He added, "There is an agreement in advance with the Iranian side to link it through Shalamjah and then link it to Basra," indicating that the memoranda signed with the Iranian side are not binding, and the project has not yet been implemented.

Al-Shibli stressed that there is no project or plan for the railway connection with Kuwait at present, and the talk circulating is unfounded.

"If the upcoming budgets do not provide the required sums for the projects, we have Chinese, Korean, American and French loans to complete Faw port," he stated, adding “The Silk Road will not pass without passing through Iraq and through Iran," noting that Iraq is a strategic cut-off point to eastern and western Europe.