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TASIM participants approve WB proposal on alternative route

ICT Materials 19 August 2014 18:23 (UTC +04:00)

Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 19

By Huseyn Valiyev - Trend:

The participants of the Transnational Eurasian Information Super Highway project (TASIM) approved the World Bank's proposal on laying its third alternative route, TASIM working group head Zaur Hasanov told Trend Aug. 19.

"WB proposes to lay the third route through the territory of Turkmenistan," he added.

"The new route also has a way to China, as well as the East Asian countries (Indonesia, Vietnam, etc.), having high requirements for Internet capacity," Hasanov added.

"The preparation of a feasibility study of the new route is one of the future goals as part of the work in this direction," he said. "The work in this direction is underway."

The issue about the third alternative route was included in the agenda of a meeting of TASIM project participants in Baku on July 11.

"At the meeting a decision was made that before Sept.15, the involved parties will present their vision of the project business model and the way of the traffic management, investment allocation and income," he said. "The prospects for growth needs of the Chinese and Turkish markets will be examined in the coming years."

All these aspects will be indicated in the paragraphs of the principled agreement on TASIM construction. It will be signed after reaching an agreement between the parties.

The project envisages the creation of a major communication transit line from Frankfurt to Hong Kong. The network that brings together the biggest information exchange centers of Europe and Asia will run through the territories of Azerbaijan, Turkey, Georgia, China and Kazakhstan, to Germany. An alternative north transit communication line will be laid through the territories of Russia, Ukraine and Poland.

Laying the Caspian segment of the cable line is an integral part of TASIM project. The negotiations are underway with Kazakhstan.

At present, the TASIM project includes such countries as Russia (Rostelecom), Kazakhstan (KazTransCom), Turkey (TurkTelecom), China (China Telecom), and Azerbaijan (represented by the Center for International Relations and Calculations of the Ministry of Communications and High Technologies).

The cost of the project is estimated at $100 million in accordance with the preliminary estimates. It can be adjusted after certain aspects are approved. Investments will be distributed equally between the project participants. The construction operations are scheduled for 2016.

The project aims at reducing poverty and accelerating the economic growth. It can also play a leading role in the region's development.

Its realization will help to address the 'information gap' between Western Europe and the Pacific Basin.

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