TBILISI - Turkish President Abdullah Gul said Wednesday, "Baku-Tbilisi-Kars (BTK) railway project is very important for the regional peace, stability and prosperity. Projects in Caucasus not only cover Turkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan but also are open to all countries."
Gul attended the ground-breaking ceremony of Georgian part of BTK railway project together with Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Tbilisi.
The project connects not only Baku to Kars (Turkish northeastern province) but also China to London, Gul said.
"It is a big project. Within the scope of the project, trains which will depart from China will pass Caspian, Baku, Tbilisi and Kars, and reach Istanbul. Then, they will pass under Bosphorus through ongoing Marmaray project, and travel over Europe, and then pass English Channel and reach London. Today, in fact, we are taking a step for a big project which changes the history," President Gul said.
Gul said when BTK project is completed, Silk Road will be refreshed, and BTK will connect Turkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan as well as Far East to Europe.
President Gul added that land, air, sea and railway transportation lines are connecting Turkey, Azerbaijan and Georgia to each other, and a common economic region has appeared thanks to these lines.