President of Azerbaijan attends ground-breaking ceremony of the Turkish section of Baku-Tbilisi-Kard railroad - UPDATED

24.07.08

16:55

President of Azerbaijan visited the park named after Heydar Aliyev in Kars, according to AzerTac.

The head of state put flowers to the bust of the national leader, set in the park. This is the first memorial to Heydar Aliyev, erected abroad when he was alive.

Ilham Aliyev also familiarized with the building of the country's consulate general in the Turkish city of Kars which is under construction. The head of state was informed that the construction has been held since 2007 and the finishing works are being completed.

The two storied building, along with the offices, also includes the act and conference halls.

The consulate will locate next to the building, where the historical Kars treaty was signed in 1921. President Ilham Aliyev familiarized with the process of construction and set instructions and recommendations for the soonest completion of works on a high level.

The President of Azerbaijan also familiarized with the scientific center of Heydar Aliyev under the Kars Caucasus University. The said center, which was opened in November of 2007 under support of Heydar Aliyev's foundation plays a role of a scientific base for students of the faculty of Azerbaijani language and literature.

A photo exhibition, reflecting Heydar Aliyev's activity, his visits to Turkey and Kars, has been arranged there.

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16:05

Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili held a one-on-one meeting with Turkish President Abdulla Gul on July 24.

According to the press service for the Georgian President, the sides mostly discussed economic issues. The meeting was held in half a hour in private.

The Presidents stressed importance of regional economic projects, such as implementation of the project of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railroad. They voiced confidence that this project will be useful for all three participant countries including Georgia, Azerbaijan and Turkey.

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16:00

According to Novosti-Azerbaijan, speaking at the ceremony Turkish Minister of Transport and Communications Binali Yildirim reminded to the participants that the ground breaking ceremony of the Georgian section of the BTK railroad, also attended by the heads of the three countries, was held in November of 2007.

"Construction of a 76 kilometer section in Turkey will start today", noted he,

"The friendly and brother relations between the three countries are deepning. The projects, such as this one, will further expand ties between our countries in all spheres", announced the Turkish Minister.

Ildirim announced that in 2004 the Transport Ministers gathered in Tbilisi and singed a contract, thus initiating the implementation of the project.

He said this railroad will connect Baku, Tbilisi and Kars, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey, as well as East and West.

According to the Minister, Kazakhstan and China joined the BTK project in Astana in 2006 and a trilateral and pentalateral protocols were signed in the result.

The meeting of the heads of states which adopted final resolution on the implementation of the BTK construction project was held in February of 2007.

In turn, Yildirim announced that the construction works on the project will finish by 2011.

"At the first stage it is planned to transport 1,000,000 passengers and about 6,000,000 tons of cargo.

Through a short period of time, the total number of passengers, transported by the BTK railroad, will be raised up to 3,000,000 and cargoes up to 18,000,000 tons", said the Turkish Minister.

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15:50

According to Novosti-Azerbaijan, during the ground breaking ceremony of the Turkish section of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railroad President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev reminded that the countries were able to implement the BTC project, when most people did not believe in its possibility and created obstacles for it.

"But we have managed to overcome all the obstacles owing to the joint cooperation of our three countries", announced Aliyev stressed the plans to transport about 40,000,000 tons of oil by the BTC and over 50,000,000 tons in the future by the BTC pipeline.

"Azerbaijani oil will fill the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline for many years".

According to the President of Azerbaijan, few believed in the implementation of another regional project - Baku-Tbilisi-Erzirum gas pipeline, but "we have attained successful implementation of this project as well".

At the same when the agenda includes the issue of energy security of the world, the BTC pipeline plays a great role in this issue. By some minimal estimates gas reserves in Azerbaijan make 2 trillion cubic meters. Owing to it Azerbaijan will become the gas exporting country. Azerbaijan will be able to supply with this gas not only itself but also the allies", continued the President, noting that BTK was note taken seriously.

Despite all the doubts, we have attained its implementation.

"The BTK will be launched in the planned time and regional cooperation will further develop. In the result, the national interests of our countries will further be secured. We will turn into an important transport corridor, connecting Europe and Asia. Most countries want to join the projects, we are implementing, as it would be the most profitable way for them", said Aliyev.

"Cooperation between our countries must serve an example for everyone", noted he.

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15:35

"The project of Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railroad will help our people become closer and establish closer relations", said Georgian President Mikhail Saakasjvili at the ground-breaking ceremony of the Turkish section of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railroad.

"Establishment of communications by means of the railroad will significantly facilitate people's lives", said Saakashvili.

He noted that Georgia will be loyal to this support till the end as it is important for the country's development.

15:20

President of Turkey Abdulla Gul wants good neighbor relations and stability in the region but he considers that Armenia should respect territorial integrity of Azerbaijan if it wants to participate in regional projects.

According to Turkish Today's Zaman, Gul said about it at the ground-breaking ceremony of the Turkish section of the Kars-Tbilisi-Baku railroad to bypass Armenia. "I have not yet decided about the visit to Yerevan to attend the football match between the combined teams of Armenia and Turkey", said the Turkish President.

President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan sent invitation to Abdulla Gul to visit Yerevan to attend the football match between the combined teams of Armenia and Turkey in the framework of 2010 European Championship to be held on September 6.

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14:35

Day.Az reports with reference to Turkish Anadolu news agency that the ceremony was attended by Presidents of Turkey Abdulla Gul, Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and Georgia Mikhail Saakashvili.

The presidents visited the construction side and then Gul pressed the horn button.

It should be noted that the intergovernmental agreement on construction of Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railroad was signed on February 7 of 2007.

The project envisions construction of a new 105 kilometer railroad section with 76 km to pass Turkey, 29 kilometers Georgia. Moreover, a 183 kilometer section of the Akhalkalaki-Marabda-Tbilisi railroad will be reconstructed in Georgia to raise capacity up to 15,000 tons of cargo per year.

There is also a plan to build a train passage point from the road in Georgia to the European one.

The project implementation is planned to finish in 2009. The Marmaris project - construction of a tunnel over Bosporus will be finished by that time. This will help open a railway communication to Europe.

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14:00

President Ilham Aliyev met with Turkish President Abdulla Gul in Kars, reports Day.Az with reference to AzerTac.

The presidents of both countries voiced satisfaction with the rapid development of friendly and partner relations between Azerbaijan and Turkey in all spheres.

It was noted during the session that the joint participation of Azerbaijan and Turkey in global projects promotes expansion of mutual ties and further regional cooperation. The Presidents noted that ground breaking ceremony is a special event.

The sides stressed importance of the railroad for expansion of economic cooperation in the region.

During the meeting the sides voiced confidence that friendly and brother relations between the two countries will further expand and exchanged view on issues of mutual concern.

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12:25

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev left for Turkey to attend the ground breaking ceremony of the Turkish section of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railroad, according to the press service for the presidential administration.

The ground breaking ceremony of the Turkish section of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railroad will be held in Kars (Turkey) Thursday. It will be attended by presidents of the three participant-states of the project: Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, Turkey Abdulla Gul and Georgia Mikhail Saakashvili.

President of Turkey is already in Kars where he arrived previously.

At the ceremony the Presidents will lay a capsule under the railroad and will make a joint statement.

Before the ceremony, Ilham Aliyev is to meet with Abdulla Gul to discuss issues of bilateral cooperation. The presidents of the two countries will put flowers to the Heydar Aliyev's bust, located at one of the central streets of Kars.

In the framework of the visit, President Aliyev will also visit the Kars Caucasus University, where the faculty of Azerbaijani language and literature was established three years ago.

Heydar Aliyev's scientific center was created under the factulty. Under support of Heydar Aliyev's foundation, the center was equipped with computer technique and a reading hall and Heydar Aliyev's corner was created there. President Ilham Aliyev will familiarize with the center expositions.

Bilateral meetings of the Presidents of Azerbaijan and Georgia are scheduled in the framework of the visit.

After the meetings in Kars, Ilham Aliyev will return to Azerbaijan, according to Novosti-Azerbaijan.

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23.07.08

16:47

The ground breaking ceremony of the Turkish section of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railroad will be held in the Turkish city of Kars on Thursday.

The ceremony will be attended by Presidents of Turkey, Azerbaijan and Georgia Abdullah Gul, Ilham Aliyev and Mikhail Saakashvili who will lay capsules under the railroad and make a joint statement.

The ceremony will also be attended by the government members of the three countries, heads of diplomatic corpses, accredited in Turkey.

The delegation from Georgia and Azerbaijan will visit Turkey on Thursday. The bilateral talks between the heads of state will be held in Kars after an official ceremony.

/Novosti-Gruziya/