Igdir Governor Saffet Karahisrali: Construction of Igdir airport will have a positive influence on relations with Azerbaijan

The governor said it would be important for the strengthening of relations with Azerbaijan. “The construction of the airport was started several years ago and 50 percent of the work was completed, but then it was delayed because of financial problems. The Prime Minister and the government promised to include the Igdir airport in the 2000 investment program and did it. I suppose the airport construction will be tendered in June this year. Our engineers, technical experts are preparing now the technical-economic background, budget and project of the airport. I think the construction work will be completed in 2010. The government of Turkey gives great importance to our relationship with Azerbaijan. The Nakhchivan-Istanbul flights are carried out now. The Kars-Baku-Kars flights were postponed temporarily. The governments and Turkish and Azerbaijan air lines are discussing now this issue”.

Saim Saffet Karahisarli said Azerbaijan and Turkey signed the largest projects. “The gas pipeline network and Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway is one of these projects. We are looking forward for the railway between Nakhchivan and Igdir. Our government and government of Azerbaijan have positive attitude to this proposal”. The Igdir Governor said Turkish-Azerbaijani relationship was above the relations of neighbor countries. “I can say it assuredly that we have common happiness and common grief with Azerbaijan. The relationship of Azerbaijan and Turkey is not a relationship of the two neighbor countries. We have brotherhood relations. Our relationship has no three-day history. It is an eternal relationship”.

/APA/