REUTERS
Against the background of Turkish-Russian tensions,Turkey has agreed with former Soviet republics on a project envisaging the delivery of goods to Europe, bypassing Russia, according to Lenta.ru.
The first several thousand containers may be sent via a new railway line Baku-Tbilisi-Kars as early as next year.
Major logistics companies from China, Kazakhstan, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Turkey signed late November a document on establishing a consortium for the transportation of goods from China to Europe, bypassing the Russian territory. The project founders are China's Minsheng Logistics, Georgia's Trans Caucasus Terminals (TCT), Kazakhstan's KTZ Express (part of the Kazakhstan Railways), Azerbaijan's Karvan Logistics and Caspian Shipping Company. Turkey will act as an associated party.
Read alsoTurkish PM says Turkey cannot be 'brought to its knees' by Russian economic sanctionsThe agreement was signed at the height of the crisis in Russian-Turkish relations following the downing of a Russian Su-24 bomber by the Turkish Air Force.
The idea to create a transport corridor from China to Europe, bypassing Russia (primarily, the Trans-Siberian Railway) is actually not new. The former Soviet republics have been seeking alternative routes for the transit of goods from Asia to the EU since the breakup of the Soviet Union. In particular, an agreement on the development of Europe - Caucasus - Asia corridor (TRACECA program with 13 participating states) was signed in 1998. The construction of a 826km long railway line Baku - Tbilisi - Kars, a key railway for the Trans-Caspian route, started eight years ago (the commissioning is scheduled for 2016).
Read alsoChina invites Ukraine to participate in creation of ‘21st-century Silk Road’It is planned that next year the Trans-Caspian transport corridor will deliver a few thousand containers from China to Turkey and the EU.
Ukraine can also join the project, delivering Asian goods through its territory to Northern and Eastern Europe.