TBILISI - Presidents of Turkey, Azerbaijan and Georgia will lay the foundation of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars (BTK) railway project in Georgian capital of Tbilisi on November 21st.
The railway -- defined as "iron silk road" -- will connect Turkey directly with Azerbaijan and the Turkic republics in Central Asia.
Turkish President Abdullah Gul, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili will participate in the groundbreaking ceremony of the project in "Marabda" station outside Tbilisi on Wednesday.
Aliyev, Saakashvili and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed the related agreement in Tbilisi on February 7th, 2007.
Turkey meets 220 million USD of 420-million-USD-project and will construct 76 kilometers of the railway between eastern Turkish province of Kars and Turkish-Georgian border.
Georgia will build 30 kilometers of railway from its border with Turkey to Akhalkalaki with 200 million USD of loan it takes from Azerbaijan. It will also renovate 160 kilometers of an existing railway.
The railway is expected to be ready in 2010 and carry about 1.5 million passengers and 3 million tons of goods p.a.
-GUL'S TALKS-
Besides the groundbreaking ceremony, President Gul is expected to have bilateral meetings in Georgia.
President Gul will express Turkey's support to Georgia for its efforts to leave behind recent political tension and troublesome days.