Implementation of TASIM project discussed in Berlin
By Leman Mammadova
The implementation of the TASIM (Trans-Eurasian Information Super Highway) project, which envisages the creation of a major transit route from Frankfurt to Hong Kong, was discussed in Berlin.
The transit line passing through China, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey and Germany was discussed at the Berlin Eurasia Club meeting on "Legal and Economic Status of the Caspian: The Perspectives of Europe's Cooperation with the Region", AZERTAC reports referring to the official website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan.
“TASIM's goal is to stimulate the transit potential of information technology and ensure that at least 2-3 percent of world transportation flow through Kazakhstan by 2030. Implementation of the TASIM project will create a transit infrastructure to meet world standards and will enable the transit potential of Kazakhstan to be developed in Europe, Central Asia and Europe – China,” Kazakh Deputy Foreign Minister Roman Vasilenko said at the meeting.
The club's meeting discussed various aspects of cooperation in diversifying transport and energy routes across the Caspian Sea, re-understanding of Eurasian integration processes within the framework of the new strategy of economic integration of the European Union with the Asian region, joint search for approaches to the provision of concrete projects efficiency.
Michael Harms, executive director of the German Committee on Eastern European Economic Relations, positively assesses prospects of regional cooperation on Caspian. He proposed to gradually link alternative projects and underlined that successful implementation of such projects would enable the Caspian region to become an important component of global economic relations. He said that Germany and the European economy are interested in participating in infrastructural and energy projects in the Caspian Sea under the conditions of multilateral agreement between the Caspian littoral states.
He noted that a number of German and European companies have enough experience and know-how to implement transnational projects, and these companies have approved that they are competent in solving complicated issues.
The project on establishment of fiber-optic highway connecting Europe and Asia, Trans-Eurasian Information Super Highway (TASIM) was initiated by the Azerbaijani Ministry of Communications and High Technologies at the meeting within the 14th "Bakutel" exhibition-conference in Baku in November 2008 by adoption of Baku Declaration. The aim of the project is to establish a transnational fiber optic line from Frankfurt to Hong Kong, from Western Europe to East Asia. This project will eliminate "digital distinction" and open new economic opportunities for landlocked Eurasian countries.
In 2009, the UN General Assembly adopted a special resolution on TASIM project, accompanied by the resolutions in 2012 and 2013 as well.
In 2013, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed with 5 telecom operators participating in the project.
The transit line will reach Germany, passing through China, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey.
The realization of TASIM will consist of two stages: installation of the main Internet-transit infrastructure connecting the West and East; affordable access provision to Eurasian countries without open access to the transit infrastructure.
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