Turkmenistan to join North-South transport corridor

ASHGABAT. Aug 22 (Interfax) - Turkmenistan plans to join the North-South transport corridor being established by Russia, Iran and India, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov said.

"Today Turkmenistan began the process of joining this agreement," Meredov said at a briefing on Friday following an international conference of transport ministers from landlocked countries that was held in the Central Asian country on August 15-16.

He said Turkmenistan will continue to work with Russia in areas such as railway, automobile, air and marine transport, and the countries have great potential for cooperation within the context of the North-South corridor.

The agreement on the North-South transport corridor was signed by Russia, Iran and India in 1998 and it went into effect in 2000, he recalled.

Meredov also said that development of transportation is a key condition for the sustainable economic growth of countries without access to the sea, as well as to further expanding the whole range of international relations at the regional and global levels.