The International Trans-Caspian Transport Route is an important part of the China-Turkey-Europe transit corridor. Today the expanding railways of Iran to the South Caucasus and Central Asia create new opportunities for mutual trade. The plans on development of transit capacity were discussed at a conference in Beijing. The organizers of the meeting include Kazakhstan, Georgia, Turkey, Azerbaijan and China.

ROMAN SKLYAR, KAZAKH FIST VICE MINISTER ON INVESTMENT AND DEVELOPMENT:
- Kazakhstan has every opportunity to develop the main routes that lie between China and Europe, the Central Asian countries and Kazakhstan, including the exits to the ports of the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. Therefore, the work is conducted in different directions: strengthening the existing infrastructure and improving the logistics competence of our administrations.

Over the past 9 years, Kazakhstan has invested more than US$27 billion in the development of a logistics network. The investors in this area include Georgia, Azerbaijan and Turkey. For example, in June of this year Azerbaijan will complete the construction of a large port in the Caspian Sea.

SHAKHIN MUSTAFAYEV, AZERBAIJANI MINISTER OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT:
- Kazakhstan has already completed the construction of the railway from the Caspian Sea till Almaty. Today, we are building the largest commercial port in the Caspian Sea in Azerbaijan. The potential of this port makes possible to carry loads in large quantities. The carrying capacity of this port will be 15 million tonnes or 100,000 containers.

According to forecasts of experts, by 2020 the volume of rail transportation from China through Kazakhstan can reach 2 million containers. The international Trans-Caspian transport route starts from China, through Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia and further through Turkey or Ukraine reaches to Europe.