China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railroad construction crucial for geopolitical stability - Kyrgyz president

BISHKEK. Aug 1 (Interfax) - The China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railroad is economically beneficial and essential for geopolitical stability, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov said.

"This railroad is primarily needed not for others, but for us. We will establish a transit corridor between Europe and other countries, including China, via Central Asia. This is economically beneficial and very important for geopolitical stability," Japarov was quoted by the Kyrgyz presidential press service as saying at an event dedicated to the 100th anniversary of Kyrgyz Railways on Thursday.

The implementation of this strategic project will lead Kyrgyzstan out of transport deadlock, connecting almost four billion people, and expand the geography of transportation from Asia to Europe via Turkey to the Middle East, Iran, the Persian Gulf countries and North Africa, Japarov said.

"Our north and south will be connected by rail. Heavy goods will be shipped across the country only by rail. This means significant fuel saving and maintaining the quality of our highways for the long term. Passengers will also have an opportunity to travel by rail," Japarov said.

The implementation of the railroad's construction will have an overall positive socio-economic impact on the development of the domestic economy and will make a tangible contribution to expanding transport services for the population, as well as to developing and upgrading transport infrastructure, he added.

Kyrgyzstan ratified an agreement with China and Uzbekistan on the railroad construction project on June 27 this year. Under the trilateral agreement, the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railroad will run along the Kashgar (China) - Torugart (on the Kyrgyz-Chinese border) - Makmal (Kyrgyzstan) - Jalal-Abad (Kyrgyzstan) - Andijan (Uzbekistan) route.

According to experts' estimates, annual cargo transportation along this railroad may reach 15 million tonnes, and the time for delivering goods to final consumers will be cut by seven days. Modern transit and logistics infrastructure, warehouses and terminals will be set up.

Kyrgyz Prime Minister Akylbek Japarov said in April that the construction of the railroad is tentatively estimated at around $8 billion.