Azerbaijan, Baku, Sept. 29 /Trend T.Konyayeva, T.Jafarov/
Realization of the project on construction of a railway linking Iran, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan will benefit to the whole region, Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said in a telephone talk with Turkmen President Gurbangulu Berdimuhammedov, IRNA reported on Thursday.
"This project will become a crucial point for all countries involved," Ahmadinejad said.
During the talk, the presidents discussed problems related to the railroad construction, ways to settle them and accelerate the project realization.
The primary agreement on the railroad construction was signed between presidents of Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan in the Turkmenbashi city in April 2007. The final agreement was undersigned by the three presidents in Tehran in September 2007.
The railway facilitates transportation of goods from the Central Asian countries to the Persian Gulf.
Launching the international railway will shorten more than 600 km of the route for transporting goods from the Central Asia to the Persian Gulf. The route will be turned into one of the most important international transportation links between China and Europe.
Analysts believe that some 3-5mln tons of commodities can be transported in the first phase, while 10-20mln tons of goods will be carried annually once all other phases of the railway are completed.
The project is expected to be completed in 2011.