Baku, Azerbaijan, June 13
By Matanat Nasibova – Trend:
The large-scale Caspian Sea - Black Sea transport project, which is implemented with the participation of Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Romania, will be launched before the end of this year, Turkmen Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador to Azerbaijan Mekan Ishanguliyev told Trend.
According to the ambassador, at present the project participants are discussing some technical issues and details regarding the project.
"The project is of great importance for all countries involved in transporting their goods to Europe, including Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan. The project involves the ports of Turkmenbashi in Turkmenistan and the port of Alat in Azerbaijan, through which cargo will be transported to the largest seaport of Constanta in Romania. The importance of this route in the transit scheme connecting the West and the East is indisputable, since the connection of Europe with Central Asia through two seas is the shortest and most profitable route among the transport networks that still exist," he said.
"The participation of Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan in this project strengthens the role of our countries as a regional logistics hub,” the ambassador said.
Ishanguliyev noted that Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan have great potential for cooperation in the field of transport and logistics.
The ambassador reminded that Georgia, Romania, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan signed a declaration on the development of the Black Sea-Caspian Sea transport corridor in Bucharest in 2019, thus starting the development of new transport corridors in the region.
The Black Sea - Caspian Sea international transport route was initiated in 2018 at a meeting of experts held on October 24-25 in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, which was attended by the representatives of Georgia, Romania, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan. The route runs through the Caspian Sea from Turkmenistan to Azerbaijan, then by rail to the Black Sea ports of Georgia, and from there to Romania.