Turkmenistan and Georgia plan to expand international freight traffic

Turkmenistan and Georgia held a meeting of the joint commission on international freight traffic in Ashgabat. The talks on expanding co-operation in this area were held by the heads of Turkmenawtoulaglary (Turkmenavtotransport) agency, Guvanchmyrat Akmammedov, and the Georgian Land Transport agency, Levan Gamkrelidze.

Experts told Daryo that the two countries are involved in major projects to develop international transit corridors. Customs and trade incentives are being studied.

The Lapis Lazuli project covers Afghanistan-Turkey-Turkey-Turkey-Turkey-Turkmenistan-Azerbaijan-Turkey. Railways and highways are to connect the city of Turgundi (Afghanistan) with Ashgabat to the Caspian port of Turkmenbashi. The corridor will continue to Baku, then via Tbilisi, Poti and Batumi (Georgia) to Ankara and Istanbul (Turkey).

The Caspian Sea-Black Sea project involves the use of special containers and passes through the Caspian Sea to Baku (Azerbaijan), then by railway to Batumi or Poti (Georgia), and from there by sea to Constanta (Romania).

Credits: Eziz Boyarov