Azerbaijan, Baku, Nov. 3 / Trend , H.Valiyev/
Turkmenistan is participating actively in constructing the Caspian segment of the Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) cable main, the Communications and IT Ministry's Center for International Relations and Calculations Director Jalil Jafarov told Trend .
Jafarov said they met with representatives of the Turkmen Communications IT Ministry and Turkmentelekom state company as part of the Turkmentel-2009 Exhibition to discuss earlier agreements to build the Caspian segment of the TAE cable main.
Turkmentelekom has already submitted a proposal on the issue to the Turkmen Cabinet of Ministers.
Negotiations are planned under the Azerbaijani BakuTel-2009 International Exhibition.
Constructing the Trans-Caspian segment of the TAE cable main between Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan is economically advantageous as it reduces the transport route, increases the traffic exchange, and allows direct access to Kyrgyzstan and China.
The project is included in the protocol of an interstate commission. Bilateral talks on the project intensified after Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev last visited Turkmenistan. An agreement on the matter has reportedly already been reached at some level by the heads of state.
However, the Turkmen side is somewhat wary of the project as the Caspian Sea's status has not been fully resolved.
In addition to the Turkmen negotiations, talks are continuing with Kazakhstan. A protocol has been signed between the Center for International Relations and Calculation and Kazakh KazTransCom company to jointly finance the project.
According to Jafarov, although the issue of constructing the TAE cable main is losing relevance with Kazakhstan, the Azerbaijani side is still interested in resolving the issue.
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