Azernews.Az

By Aynur Jafarova

Azerbaijan, located at the intersection of international transport corridors such as East-West and North-South and with a favorable geographical position is taking further steps in the road of development.

This was noted in a message by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev addressed to the participants of an international conference titled "Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway line - new opportunities in the development of the Silk Road", held in Baku on October 16.

The president's message was read out by Azerbaijani Deputy Prime Minister Abid Sharifov.

President Aliyev said Azerbaijan is developing transport services, creating modern infrastructure, improving transport management mechanisms and expanding integration into the international transport system.

He also noted the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway line will be put into operation in the near future.

"This railway junction is effective from an economic point of view, stable, secure and fully complies with environmental standards," the message said. "It means the beginning of a new stage in the transport development. This railway line will expand the multi-modal transportation opportunities and ensure the growth of passenger and freight transportation."

President Aliyev went on adding that a state-of-the-art ferry terminal of the Baku Sea Port has already started working.

"The port will be ready for commissioning in 2015," the message said. "Its cargo transportation capacity will be gradually increased to 25 million metric tons and one million containers per year. Creating such infrastructure is a contribution to the development of trade and transit transportation between Asia and Europe along the Silk Road route, as well as more efficient use of transport and transit potential of the Caspian region."

President Aliyev said the conference held with the participation of representatives of various countries and international organizations, creates broad opportunities for discussing the relevant transport issues, as well as expanding business contacts and exchanging experience.

"I hope that the discussions to be held at the conference will encourage the development of the Europe-Caucasus-Asia corridor, promotion and implementation of new initiatives at the international and regional levels," the message said.

In his remarks Azerbaijan's Transport Minister Ziya Mammadov said Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway project is open for the participation of other countries.

Mammadov said the countries interested in this project can join the trilateral intergovernmental agreement signed between Azerbaijan, Turkey and Georgia in 2007.

Azerbaijan plans to complete the implementation of the project in 2015 and to launch a test work train by late 2014. The transport minister also added after three years of operation of the railway, the volume of cargo transportation via this railway is expected to hit three million metric tons, while after five and ten years of operation, this figure is expected to exceed five million metric tons and 10 million metric tons, respectively.

The Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway is a regional rail link project that connects Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkey. The total length of the project is 826 kilometers (about 513 miles).

Azerbaijan has allocated a $775 million loan to the construction of the Georgian section of the railway.

Financed by Azerbaijan's state oil fund SOFAZ, the project has been implemented after Azerbaijan's President issued a decree on the 'Implementation of measures within the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars project', on February 21, 2007.

Later, the conference participants adopted a joint declaration which said unsolved conflicts in the region are the main obstacles for regional cooperation and implementation of joint transport projects.

The event participants stressed the importance of speedy settlement of these conflicts on the basis of the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity and inviolability of state borders.

They also stressed the importance of increasing of the level of cooperation in all aspects of the development of Eurasian transport connections and restoration of the Great Silk Road.

"Parties will promote wider use of electronic document circulation and intelligent transport system. They will also continue to take agreed measures for closer regional economic integration through implementation of the projects of joint development of transport infrastructure, as well as creation of favorable investment climate and competitive market for transport services," the declaration said.

Parties welcome and express their support to the initiative of Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey on the implementation of the project of the construction of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars new railway line, which will contribute to the increase of international trade by connecting Trans-Europe and Trans-Asian railway networks.

Parties support and contribute to the efficient integration of Baku-Tbilisi-Kars with Trans-Europe and Trans-Asian railway networks, as well as the construction of the new Baku International Sea Trade Port in the Alat settlement, by using advanced modern technologies, which will contribute to the creation of railway, highway and sea route hub, as well as will provide high-speed and safe transportation of passengers and goods to Europe and vice versa.

The parties also stressed that the commissioning of Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway link as a whole will significantly increase the volume of international trade and expand transport connection among the countries of the region.

Parties extended their gratitude to the president and the government of Azerbaijan for the efforts to develop the transport and transit potential of Eurasian region and excellent organization of the conference.

New countries interested in BTK

Azerbaijan's transport minister told the reporters that Afghanistan and Kazakhstan are interested in joining the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway project.

Mammadov said Azerbaijan has repeatedly proposed the interested countries to join the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars project.

"Today Afghanistan expressed willingness to participate in the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars project," he said, adding that Kazakhstan also shows interest in this project.

Turkish Minister of Transport, Shipping and Communications Lutfi Elvan told the journalists that commissioning of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway line will open a transport corridor that will connect Beijing and London.

"Earlier, the two components of this corridor were missing, the Marmaray railway tunnel and Baku-Tbilisi-Kars," he said. "The tunnel has already been put into operation, and Baku-Tbilisi-Kars project is planned to be commissioned in 2015."