Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Dec.24
By Huseyn Hasanov- Trend:
Turkmenistan emphasizes the importance of environmentally sustainable, safe, as well as public transport and transit corridors, said the President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhammadov.
His speech is dedicated to the adoption of recently initiated by Turkmenistan resolution "The role of transport and transit corridors in ensuring international cooperation for sustainable development" by the UN General Assembly
"Turkmenistan, relying upon its neutral status, the principles of maintaining peace and stability, ensuring sustainable economic development, improving public well-being and strengthening the international cooperation, has always stressed the importance of environmentally sustainable, safe, as well as public transport and transit corridors," said the president, who was quoted by the Neutral Turkmenistan newspaper.
"I sincerely thank the leadership of the United Nations, as well as the leaders of all countries, which acted as co-sponsors, for their support in promoting initiative of Turkmenistan!" said the President Gurbanguly Berdimuhammadov.
In September 2014, Ashgabat hosted an appropriate international high-level conference, and Ashgabat Declaration was adopted on its results.
The UN resolution, adopted in December 2014, calls upon the member states and international and regional organizations to contribute to the expansion of cooperation between the parties involved in the creation and operation of international transport corridors, lays the foundation of formation of transport networks, combining road, rail, sea and air routes through intermodal logistics centers and land ports.
The UN resolution, which provides for the mobilization of financial and technical resources from the international monetary and financial institutions, reflected the key elements of the Ashgabat Declaration.
At present, the creation of favorable conditions for cargo, the smooth functioning of international transport and transit corridors is a key factor in promoting sustainable economic development in the global dimension.
Turkmenistan, occupying a favorable geographical position, recently strengthened its position of an important transit and transport hub of regional and continental importance. The commissioning of a new Uzen-Gyzylgaya-Bereket-Etrek-Gorgan (Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan-Iran) railway line in early December 2014 can be named among the latest such achievements.
The aim of this international transport corridor North-South is to provide backhaul cooperation of the North Europe countries and Russia with the countries of the Persian Gulf, the Indian Ocean and South-East Asia through Iran. The international transport corridor North-South, which is an alternative to the sea route through the Suez Canal, primarily claims on container cargo traffic.