Turkmenistan, Ashgabat, May 12 / Trend H. Hasanov /
Turkmenistan prepares for the international conference on the prospects of developing transport and transit posts in Central Asia and the Caspian Sea on May 16, Turkmen media reported today.
This issue was discussed at a government meeting. The representatives from 20 countries and 15 international organizations are expected to attend the conference.
"The formation of the corresponding modern infrastructure will give a powerful impetus to the successful integration of the countries of the region in the processes of global economic development, ensure the inflow of investments and create conditions for fruitful cooperation in the context of intercontinental economic realities in the Eurasian area," Neutral Turkmenistan newspaper quoted President Berdimuhamedov.
The President drew attention to the topic of an international forum designed to facilitate effective cooperation in transport and communications. This is stipulated by specific geographical location and transit potential of Central Asia and Caspian region.
Turkmenistan has recently emphasized integrating maritime transportation and intensifying external economic relations with the Caspian countries. The radical modernization of the Turkmenbashi international sea port city is being prepared.
Azerbaijan, Russia, Kazakhstan, Iran and Turkmenistan are situated in the shores of the Caspian Sea.
Dozens of the world largest companies have already expressed their desire to participate in the reconstruction and technical modernization of Turkmenbashi sea harbor, to construct marine terminals with the multifunctional dry cargo and ferry berths and warehouses for processing and keeping transit goods on the coast and to fulfill export-import operations.
Moreover, Turkmenistan, Iran and Kazakhstan work to implement a project for the railway corridor construction through Iran to gain the way to the Gulf countries.
The new railway New Uzen (Kazakhstan), Bereket - Etrek (Turkmenistan) - Gurgen (Iran) will provide the European and Asian countries with a convenient cost-effective way to South Asia, the Persian Gulf ports, as well as the countries of North and Eastern Europe.
This way is three times shorter than the route through the Suez Canal. The new railway North-South will also play a crucial role in creating new social infrastructure of the desert regions in the Caspian region and the northern territories - from Bereket to the border with Kazakhstan.
According to the preliminary calculations, the annual traffic volume of own and transit cargo will reach 10-12 million tons.