Azerbaijan, Baku, Sept. 19 / Trend A. Akhundov /
All the delays associated with the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars Railway project have been resolved, Georgian First Deputy Economy and Sustainable Development Minister Irakli Matkava told Trend today.
"We anticipate that the project must be completed by late 2013," he said. "All the delays associated with the project, have been resolved. The work is being conducted on schedule."
He said that the role of the South Caucasus as a transit region in the world trade will increase by many times after this project is implemented.
"This important project connects our railway system with European," he said. "Moreover, the way through Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey is the shortest way between East Asia and Europe."
A 183-kilometre section of the Akhalkalaki-Marabda- Tbilisi railway will be reconstructed within the p
Azerbaijan has allocated a soft loan worth $775 million for Georgia to construct and reconstruct the Georgian section of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway.
It is expected that about 30 million tons of cargo per year will be transported through the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway annually. This railway will have a direct link to the European rail network.
The Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway will increase the flow of container, bulk and other types of cargo from Asia to Europe. The Marmaris project which will see the construction of a tunnel under the Bosporus will be implemented during this period. This will open a railway communication to Europe.