Azerbaijan, Baku, Oct. 2 / Trend A.Badalova /
Azerbaijan is a key country for development of market economy and democracy in the Caucasus and the Caspian region, and the US should develop relationship this country, leading expert of the Heritage Foundation for Russian and Eurasian Studies and International Energy Policy and member of Trend Expert Council, Ariel Cohen told Trend in interview.
"I think both parties - the republicans and democrats are interested in the development of democracy, market economy and energy in the Caucasus and in the Caspian. Azerbaijan is a key country for that," Cohen said.
Cohen stressed that the geopolitical location of Azerbaijan in the crossroads of East-West and North-South is very important
"The development of Caspian resources, including energy is important as an alternative to the unstable Middle East where there is a lot of violence and extremism," Cohen said.
Azerbaijan, according to an expert, is a different model - model of a tolerant society.
"And I think for that the US should develop our relationship," Cohen said.
Cohen mentioned that Azerbaijan is just opening a new railroad that will connect the Caspian with Turkey and Europe.
"That is also important. And in that respect I hope that our relationship will continue," Cohen added.
The 183 kilometre long railway section of the Akhalkalaki Marabda Tbilisi rail road has to be reconstructed in the framework of Baku Tbilisi Kars project in order to increase the capacity up to 15 million tons of freight a year. A centre on the carriage transition from Georgian track to European is going to be constructed in Akhalkalaki.
The Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway will increase the flow of container, bulk and other types of cargo from Asia to Europe. The Marmaris project envisaging the construction of a tunnel under the Bosporus will be implemented during this period. This will open a railway communication to Europe.