Turkish, Azerbaijani, And Georgian Presidents Hopeful BTK Railway Will Bring Prosperity To Blacksea And Caucasus Region

KARS - Turkish President Abdullah Gul, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili on Thursday laid the foundation of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars Railway`s (BTK) part on Turkish territory.
The three presidents expressed hope in their speeches that the BTK railway would contribute to peace and prosperity in the region.
President Gul said the BTK railway project would revive the ancient "Silk Road" and added that it was open to all countries in the Caucasus that wanted good neighbourly relations.
Gul said an unnamed economic area emerged in the Caucasus paralleling the good relations between Turkey, Azerbaijan and Georgia and pointed out that this area would further enliven in the future.
Saakashvili said BTK was not just a railway project but had economic, cultural, historical connotations. He said it contributed to relations between Turkey and Georgia and expressed firm belief that the project would bring closer the three nations.
Also speaking during the ceremony, Aliyev said the railway would strengthen the economic relations between the three countries adding that Asian and European countries would also benefit from the project.

-BTK RAILWAY PROJECT-

The trilateral agreement about construction of the BTK railway project was signed by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Georgian President Saakashvili and Azerbaijani President Aliyev on February 7th, 2007.
The Railway Project will connect the transport and economic systems of three states to enhance commercial transactions within a larger region. This project is expected to promote economic development and enhance peace and stability in the region.
Turkey`s Ozgun Yapi-Celikler joint venture won the tender held for the construction of the 76-km portion of the BTK railway, within Turkey.
Turkey has allocated 380 million YTL for BTK railway project that will connect Turkey with Azerbaijan and other Turkic republics in Central Asia.
Georgia will build 29-km of railway from its border with Turkey to Akhalkalaki and will renovate an existing line. On November 21st, 2007, the presidents of Turkey, Azerbaijan and Georgia laid the foundation of Georgian part of the railway.
The railway is expected to be operational in 2011 and carry about 18 million tons of freight and three million passengers per year in the medium term.
(OZG-AÖ)
(GEN)