Uzbekistan interested in cargo transportation via BTK railway

By  Trend

Uzbekistan is interested in the active use and increase of its foreign trade cargo transportation volumes via the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars (BTK) railway, Sherzod Fayziyev, Uzbek ambassador to Azerbaijan, told Trend.

He said that the BTK railway is in the spotlight of countries and the transportation routes from Central Asia through the Caspian Sea and further through the Caucasus are becoming particularly relevant.

"In this regard, the wide use of the Transcaucasian transport corridor for the transportation of increasing volumes of export-import cargoes meets the interests of our states," he noted. "The BTK railway corridor commissioned in late October 2017, as well as the creation of infrastructure at the Baku International Sea Trade Port under construction in the Alat settlement open good opportunities for the implementation of huge transit, transport and communication potential of our countries and regions."

The ambassador also noted that at the solemn opening ceremony of the BTK railway, the delegation of Uzbekistan was headed by Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov, and this is a convincing indicator that the Uzbek side is interested in actively using and increasing the volumes of its cargo transportation via this corridor.

"In turn, we hope that Azerbaijan is also interested in using the potential of Uzbekistan located in the heart of Central Asia and which has enormous economic and strategic capabilities," Fayziyev said. "In this regard, I would like to note that the Navoi free industrial economic zone also creates a good basis for deepening cooperation in the transport and communication sphere."

Located at the most important intersection of road, rail and air routes, the Navoi International Airport connects the countries of South-East Asia with Central and South Asia, the Middle East, as well as the states of the European continent, the ambassador said.

Joint work in the implementation of intercontinental air transportation in the future will be particularly beneficial for Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan, he added.

"I would like to take this opportunity to inform that an international conference titled "Central Asia in the System of International Transport Corridors: Strategic Perspectives and Unrealized Opportunities" will be held in Tashkent city this September," said Fayziyev. "We are grateful that the representatives of Azerbaijan accepted the invitation to participate in this event. I am confident that this trip will also allow our countries to discuss ways to further promote mutually beneficial relations in the field of transport."