Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 15
By Maksim Tsurkov – Trend:
Pakistan is interested in the North-South transport corridor project, said Pakistani prime minister’s special adviser on foreign affairs Syed Tariq Fatemi in a meeting with Azerbaijan’s Economy Minister Shahin Mustafayev in Baku, said Azerbaijani Economy Ministry.
During the meeting, Mustafayev praised the economic ties between Baku and Islamabad.
“Azerbaijan, located at intersection of the East-West and North-South transport corridors, has a favorable geographic position and transit opportunities. The country has modern transport infrastructure and work is underway to implement the North-South project, as part of which a railway bridge will be constructed across the Astarachay River before the end of the year,” said Mustafayev.
He added that a free trade area is being created at the Baku International Sea Trade Port with participation of an UAE company.
According to Mustafayev, Pakistan may make use of Azerbaijan’s transit opportunities, the free trade area and the North-South corridor.
In turn, Tariq Fatemi said Pakistan is interested in the North-South project.
Pharmaceutics, tourism, agriculture and trade issues were also discussed during the meeting.
The North-South corridor is meant to connect Northern Europe to South-East Asia. It will serve as a link connecting the railways of Azerbaijan, Iran and Russia.
It is planned to transport 5 million tons of cargo via the North-South corridor per year at the initial stage and later to increase the figure to more than 10 million tons.
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