ANKARA - Turkish President Abdullah Gul Tuesday left for Georgia on a formal visit.
Gul is accompanied by a delegation including State Minister Kursad Tuzmen, Transportation Minister Binali Yildirim, businessmen and journalists.
Holding a press conference at Ankara's Esenboga Airport, Gul said that he will visit Georgia to attend ground-breaking ceremony of Georgian part of Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway project. He added that Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev will also participate in the ceremony.
Gul said that Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway project covers construction of a direct railway line between Turkey and Georgia and this line's connection with the existing line in Azerbaijan.
He said that Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway line will present new opportunities for passenger and cargo transportation between Asia and Europe.
Gul said that another important project with Georgia in transportation area is joint use of Batumi International Airport.
Gul said that world closely follows the huge regional projects which started with Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline and continued with Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum natural gas pipeline and Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway project. He added that these projects brought prestige to the region.
Gul said that he will hold bilateral and tripartite meetings with Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili and Azerbaijani President Aliyev, adding that they will discuss issues about Turkey as well as regional and international matters.
Gul noted that they will also sign Free Trade Agreement and Agreement on Prevention of Double Taxation with Georgia.