'Main goal - to increase volume of cargo transportation via Baku-Tbilisi-Kars'

  06 March 2018    Read: 1515

The main goal is to increase the volume of cargo transportation via the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway, Azerbaijan's Economy Minister, Chairman of the coordination council for transit and cargo transportation Shahin Mustafayev said during Azerbaijani delegation's visit to Georgia on March 6.

"The main goal is to increase the volume of goods transported via the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway and to explore ways to make more efficient use of existing opportunities. A great interest in passenger transportation via the BTK, which will create broad opportunities for tourism development, should also be taken into account. Thanks to joint efforts we will reach our goal," Mustafayev said.

The Azerbaijani delegation includes high-ranking officials of the Ministries of Economy and Finance, the State Oil Fund, Azerbaijan Railways CJSC, Baku International Trade Port CJSC and Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping Company CJSC.

On the first day of the visit, the Azerbaijani delegation visited the monument to the national leader in the Heydar Aliyev park in the center of Tbilisi and laid flowers at the monument.

Then, the Azerbaijani delegation got acquainted with the Azerbaijani Culture Museum in Tbilisi.

At a meeting of Azerbaijani delegation with the first vice-premier of Georgia, Economy and Sustainable Development Minister Dmitry Kumshishvili and Interior Minister Georgy Gakharya, the importance of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway project for the economic development of the participating countries, cooperation between countries in the field of economy, investment, transport and transit were noted.


Mustafayev said that the relations between the countries are developing in all spheres and the two countries take part in joint projects of international importance. It was noted that Baku-Tbilisi-Kars and other projects contributed to the welfare of the two peoples.

The sides also noted that the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway, as well as other projects, will play an important role not only for development of the South Caucasus, but also for the development of Europe, the unification of Europe and Asia.

Kumsishvili, in turn, spoke about the economic, political and cultural relations between the two countries, and said that the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway and other regional projects play an important role in developing cooperation.

Reminding about the meeting with President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, Kumsishvili highly appreciated the special attention the head of state paid to the BTK and other regional projects.

Mustafayev noted the expansion of trade relations between the two countries.

The trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Georgia in 2017 increased by 17 percent, and exports to Georgia jumped up by 13 percent.

To date, Azerbaijan has invested $3 billion in the economy of Georgia. More than 300 Georgian companies are registered in Azerbaijan, and about 1,300 Azerbaijani companies are registered in Georgia. Azerbaijan's SOCAR is successfully operating in Georgia.

 


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