ASHKHABAD (AA) - ''Silk Road Turkish Export Products Fair'' was opened in Ashkhabad, Turkmenistan on Wednesday.
Turkish Transportation Minister Binali Yildirim and Turkmen Minister of Transport & Roads Baymuhammet Kelov opened the fair.
Yildirim said, ''commercial and economic relations between Turkey and Turkmenistan will increase with the opening of railway line between the two countries.''
''Turkish businessmen and citizens who are living in Turkmenistan contribute to development of this country. Relations between the two countries continue to develop each day,'' he noted.
Yildirim said, ''Turkey is one of the leading commercial partners of Turkmenistan. Trade volume between the two countries which is 1.5 billion USD does not reflect the real potential. I believe this figure will increase in medium term.''
''Commercial and economic relations between the two countries will further increase with the usage of Silk Road railway line. Joint projects of Turkey and Turkmenistan will contribute to prosperity of people in two countries,'' he added.
Yildirim said, ''when railway transportation is made on the line of the route of Silk Road Fair Train, the shortest line between Asia and Europe will be used, and countries on this geography will become closer to each other.''
Silk Road Turkish Export Products Fair is being held on rails between Istanbul and Astana from April 24th to May 31st.
The Silk Road Train set off from Istanbul on April 23rd to promote Turkey and Turkish products in 7 countries including Iran, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, on a railway of 10,560 kilometers, within 38 days.
The fair aims to revive the Silk Road, one of the most important trade routes of the past, and further improve commercial and cultural relations among regional countries.
2005-05-11