ANKARA - Foundation of Turkey part of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars Railway (BTK), called the Iron Silk Road, will be laid in eastern province of Kars on Thursday with the participation of Turkish President Abdullah Gul, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili.
Mitat Celikpala from TOBB Economy and Technology University told the A.A correspondent that Turkey had launched planned initiatives for development of Caucasus since mid-1990s.
Turkey has conducted several projects successfully for the Caucasus region, Celikpala said. "This projects means that Turkey will have a more active role in the Turkic world," he stated.
The foundation of Georgia section of the railway was laid in a region outside capital Tbilisi on November 21st, 2007 with participation of Gul, Aliyev and Saakashvili.
The Kars-Tbilisi-Baku railway, or Kars-Akhalkalaki-Tbilisi-Baku railway, is a regional rail link project to directly connect Turkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan. The project is due to be completed by 2011.
The project will enable uninterrupted railway link with the Central Asian republics, which are the new oil and natural gas center in the world. Thus, a train that will set off from London can reach China without any interruption.
(EÖ-AÖ)