Infrastructure

Home page

Infrastructure

Turkish Transport Minister: â€œWe can increase our trade turnover with Azerbaijan to $ 10 blnâ€

08 February 2011 09:14 (UTC +04:00)

Istanbul. Mayis Alizadeh â€“ APA-Economics. Minister of Transport and Communications of Turkey Binali Yildirim gives an interview to APA-Economics.

- What phase the developments on construction of Baku-Tbilisi-Kars Railway are in? Can any problem be created in the implementation process of this project?

- Turkey has brotherly relations with Azerbaijan and Georgia, as it has good-neighborly relations with them. This is one of the projects creating opportunities the brothers to develop the brotherhood, share their delight with one another, carry the produced production jointly. The transport ministers of Azerbaijan, Turkey and Georgia have held the meeting in Istanbul, 6 years ago. We decided to merge Baku, Tbilisi and Kars with one another via railway. We signed a protocol on July 27, 2007. Turkey-Georgia part of this railway is constructed in accordance to the international standards. Even, the speeds of trains are calculated to be 120 km/hour, on that way. Besides, a station will be conctructed on railway line, in the Turkey-Georgia border. The construction works are underway. We plan to finish the construction of railway in 2012. The construction works of 25 km-part of project are also underway. 1.2 mln passengers and 3.5 mln tons of cargo will be transported after the launch of railway. 7.8 mln passengers and 21.5 mln tons of cargo are expected to be transported in 2034. Baku-Tbilisi-Kars, Marmaray and high-speed train projects will not support only Turkey to be changed to most useful and reliable option of Asia-Europe corridor, it will also provide Azerbaijan and Georgia with the same advantages. Baku-Tbilisi-Kars is not only a railway project, but a project owning social, cultural and economic perspectives.

- What would you say about the implementation of railway project between Kars and Nakhchevan?

- Significant amount of cargo will be transported from Caucasus and Middle Asian Countries to Europe and our ports in the south, after the construction of Kars-Tbilisi railway. Our Kars-Igdir-Aralik-Diluju railway will be linked to Nakhchevan and Iran railway network. Besides, a railway will be constructed in Igdir Province. We started the application projects of Kars-Igdir-Aralik-Diluju railway line on March 22, 2010. On the other hand, implementation of abovementioned projects will positively influence the preparation works of Sivas-Kars line. The Sivas-Kars project will be two-way, electrical and its length will be 223.6 km. We finished the works of measures of depth and map in desert areas. The works on project and financial accounting are likely finishing. After completion of Kars-Nakhchevan and Baku-Tbilisi-Kars projects the trade turnover our countries will increase to $ 10 bln.
- There is no doubt that, Caspian Sea will be able to play an important role within the regional cooperation projects implemented by Turkey. Are there any new projects that you think on it?

- Whole world know that Azerbaijan and Turkey are brothers. There are unbreakable laces between us. We have listened the same tales, sung same songs, our eyes watered with the same music, same rhythm. Thatâ€™s why, weâ€™ll develop the important cooperation in not only transport and communication spheres, but in industry and construction spheres, as well. We try to get more development in the cooperation. Weâ€™ll announce these projects, after specifying them

- Baku-Izmir flights will start in March. Can any problems be created on Baku-Kars and Baku-Trabzon flights?

- Trabzon-Baku and Kars-Baku flights are important for development of relations. AZAL starts Baku-Izmir-Istanbul flights. These flights will support the inrush of tourists and trade between these countries.