Caspian littoral countries’ transport ministers meet in Baku - UPDATED

16:10

Russia offers the Caspian littoral states to sign a memo of cooperation in the sphere of control of ships in the state ports, said Russian Transport Minister Igor Levitin in Baku Thursday during the first session of the Trasport Ministers of the Caspian states.

"The memo must become an important element of the system of legal regulation of shipping and will allow harmonize the system of state port control. There is also a need for taking measures in the sphere of technological and transport security in the framework of cooperation of the Caspian states in the transport sphere", said Levitin.

The Minister also noted that currently the Russian side is working to simplify passage of ships under the flags of the Caspian states via the internal waters of Russia.

According to him, to ensure security of shipping control on July 8 of 2008 Russia launched the regional information center of shipping control in the Azov-Black Sea and Caspian Sea regions.

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15:25

"The final communique reflected the issues of expanding cooperation between the Caspian littoral states in different directions of the transport sphere. This is, in particularm the growth in volume of cargo transportation and transit cargoes via the region, expansion of the equal cooperation, mutual assistance during failures", said Z.Mamedov.

Azerbaijan is ready to launch implementation of projects on reconstruction of existing and construction of a new motor bridge via the Samur river, bordering on Russia, said Transport Minister Ziya Mamedov Thursday at the first session of the Transport Ministers of the Caspian states.

"Azerbaijan is ready to start implementation of this project that also envisions acceleration of the transport means passage and will encourage growth of international cargo transportations", said Mamedov.

On the whole, the Minister noted that Azerbaijan's participation in the project of creation of the international transport corridor North-South will allow raising the volume of cargo transportation.

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12:42

Development and upgrading infrastructure of the Caspian littoral states, providing favorable conditions for a wide use of multimodal transportation in an effort to use region's transit opportunities in a affective way and attracting extra cargo are being discussed at the first meeting of the Caspian Sea littoral states' transport ministers in Baku on April 2.

The meeting is also focused on development and expansion of the West-East and North-South transport corridors and increasing their efficiency.

Azerbaijani, Turkmen, Kazakh and Russian transport ministers are attending the meeting.

/Trend Capital/, Interfax-Azerbaijan