Tokayev calls on Central Asian countries to more actively use Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan-Iran railway route

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Tokayev calls on Central Asian countries to more actively use Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan-Iran railway route

NUR-SULTAN. July 21 (Interfax) - Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev called on his partners in Central Asia to make more active use of the Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan-Iran railway.

"For our part, we encourage our partners to make more active use of the Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan-Iran railway, the shortest route between East Asia and the Persian Gulf countries," Tokayev said at the summit of the heads of the Central Asian countries in Cholpon-Ata.

This new logistical solution makes it possible to cover more than 6,000 km in only 12 days, the president said. Moreover, the Kazakh seaports Aktau and Kuryk on the Caspian Sea coast can provide access to the markets of the Middle Eastern and European countries.

Tokayev also said it is necessary to increase the transport connectivity of the region and to consistently improve transit conditions.

"Kazakhstan is ready to participate in the construction of the Mazar-i-Sharif-Kabul-Peshawar railway. We can continually supply materials for the construction of track structures and provide railcars," the president said.

Kazakhstan is actively working with Uzbekistan on the Darbaza-Maktaral railroad project, he said. Kazakhstan also supports the initiative to build a new highway from Turkmenbashi through Garabogaz to the Kazakh border. Kazakhstan will start major repairs on the Zhanaozen-Turkmen border highway in 2025, Tokayev said.

"Coordination in this sphere would considerably increase the feedback from our transport-logistics projects. Therefore, the governments should work closely on issues relating to optimization of tariff policies and simplification of administrative procedures," the president said.

Central Asia should not limit itself to positioning itself only as a ground bridge and supplier of resources, he said.

"Building a truly stable economic model requires large-scale industrialization and advanced development of new promising sectors of the economy," the president said.