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“Commissioning of Baku-Tbilisi-Kars sets new goals for Azerbaijan”

Society Materials 8 September 2015 10:59 (UTC +04:00)
The commissioning of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars (BTK) railway sets for Azerbaijani customs authorities new goals and challenges, which the country is able to cope with.
“Commissioning of Baku-Tbilisi-Kars sets new goals for Azerbaijan”

Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 8

By Anvar Mammadov - Trend:

The commissioning of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars (BTK) railway sets for Azerbaijani customs authorities new goals and challenges, which the country is able to cope with, said Azerbaijani Deputy Prime Minister Abid Sharifov.

He was addressing the 10th World Customs Organization (WCO) PICARD Conference titled "Partnerships in Customs Academic Research and Development" held in Baku Sept. 8

"Firstly, it is needed to ensure an uninterrupted flow of goods and services, and secondly, it is necessary to comply with requirements and conditions of other countries," he said. "Azerbaijan adopted a new Customs Code to respond to these challenges."

Sharifov also said he believes Azerbaijan stands ready to adequately cope with the goals ahead.

He added that a global uninterruptible supply chain is very important for every country, and in this regard the development and strengthening of customs services' potential is a priority for any country, including Azerbaijan.

"Education is a basis for development of any society," Sharifov further said. "Increasing the customs services' potential and securely attaining a supply chain require holding appropriate reforms. Each country should actively use the skilled labor and knowledge of professionals to attain it."

"For this, it is needed to have an education system standing at the highest level," said Sharifov.

The deputy prime minister also said the customs service play an important role in ensuring the safety of state, so they should include the professionals of the highest level.

"The reforms held in the customs authorities of Azerbaijan, allowed ensuring the country's economic security," he said. "This led to creation of suitable environment in Azerbaijan for developing business and making investments. Azerbaijan, which is located at intersection of routes from north to south and from west to east, has from ancient times been one the most important transit points."

"Therefore, the customs service was and remains one of the most important organizations in Azerbaijan," Sharifov stressed.

Baku-Tbilisi-Kars is being constructed on the basis of the Georgian-Azerbaijani-Turkish intergovernmental agreement.

The State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan (SOFAZ) finances the project in line with the Azerbaijani president's decree 'On the implementation of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars project activities' dated February 21, 2007.

A new 105-kilometer branch of the railroad is being constructed as part of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars project. In addition, the railway's Akhalkalaki-Marabda-Tbilisi section is under reconstruction in Georgia, what will increase its capacity to 15 million tons of cargo per year. A depot is under construction in Akhalkalaki for the transition of trains from the existing tracks in Georgia to the European ones.

It is planned to complete the project this year.

The highest capacity of the corridor will be 17 million tons of cargo per year. At the initial stage, this figure will be one million passengers and 6.5 million tons of cargo.

Edited by SI

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