ASTANA, Kazakhstan, October 30. Kazakhstan is ready to work together with the CIS countries to develop the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR, or Middle Corridor) and the North-South transport corridor, Alikhan Smailov, Prime Minister of Kazakhstan, said, Trend reports.
As he noted, joint development of transit and transport routes is an indicator of dynamic and mutually beneficial economic cooperation.
"The development of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route and the North-South Corridor is critical in this regard. It is critical to identify areas where these transit lines intersect with the global project "One Belt, One Road." Kazakhstan, for its part, is eager to collaborate," he said at a meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of the CIS countries.
The Middle Corridor is a transportation and trade route that connects Asia and Europe, passing through several countries in the region. It is an alternative route to the traditional Northern Corridor and Southern Corridor.
The route begins in China and travels through Central Asian countries including Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan. It then flows past the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkey on its way to Europe.
The Middle Corridor provides a land route connecting eastern Asia, particularly China, to Europe, skipping lengthier sea routes.
The North-South Transport Corridor was founded on an international agreement signed on September 12, 2000, by Russia, Iran, and India. This agreement was signed by Azerbaijan in 2005.
In total, 13 countries have ratified the agreement (Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, Armenia, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, the Sultanate of Oman, the Russian Federation, Tajikistan, Türkiye and Ukraine).
At the same time, the key task of joint work, according to the head of the Kazakh government, should be the comprehensive strengthening of industrial cooperation.
"The implementation of the concept of industrial cooperation and the set of measures for its development in the CIS member states will give new impetus to the economies of our countries and will allow the full implementation of the plans," he added.
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