Regional states plan to involve China into joint transport project
Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Georgia and Turkey plan to involve China
into joint transport project Silk Wind, the Kazakh Transport and
Communication Ministry told Trend news agency by e-mail.
"China plays a key role in the successful implementation of the
project, taking into account the dynamic growth of its western
regions for the last years (Go West program), which testifies
China's need to deliver a large amount of different goods to the
world market," the ministry said.
The Silk Wind project was initiated in the frame of the Transport Corridor Europe-Caucasus-Asia (TRACECA).
TRACECA is an international transport cooperation program between the EU and its partner countries in Eastern Europe, South Caucasus and Central Asia. Current TRACECA member states are Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia, Moldova, Romania, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Turkey, Ukraine and Iran.
According to the Kazakh Transport and Communications Ministry, the Silk Wind project's objective is to create a multimodal route of trains (using containers/ro-ro) with preliminary exchange of information between customs authorities and railway operators of the participating countries.
The Silk Wind will ensure the shortest connection between the
major freight traffic countries such as China, Turkey, simplify
customs and border procedures, reduce transit time and travel time
and environmental impact, the ministry said.
Currently the project participants are working to make the route
competitive and attractive, the ministry said.
"Following signing the memorandum on the agreed issues, we will
start a dialogue with the Chinese manufacturers, focused on Central
Asian and European markets, business community, forwarders of
international and national companies, and in the future try to
attract China to join the project," the Kazakh ministry said.
The project participants plan to sign "Memorandum on the principles of joint activities for transport network development and goods transportation" by late 2013, the ministry said.