Dialogue on China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway construction ongoing

Bishkek, June 19, 2020. /Kabar/. Due to dissemination of inaccurate information in a number of media outlets on construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway and North-South highway, the Kyrgyz Ministry of Transport reports the following: "This project is strategically important for the national economy of the country and its prompt implementation is among the top priorities of the Kyrgyz railway. Currently, the project is being negotiated at the level of railway administrations and transport ministries of Kyrgyzstan, China, Uzbekistan and Russia. The parties continue dialogue on such technical issues as the railway's route, track width and the location of a reloading station," the report says. The talks are held in a constructive way. In the near future it is planned to hold a number of negotiations on the final agreement of positions. The new railway is the shortest route from China to Europe and the Middle East. Compared to the existing routes, the distance will be reduced by 900 km, the time of delivery of goods by 7-8 days. Experts estimate that transportation of at least 5 million tons of cargo per year can fully cover the cost of road construction. The prospects of this project are demonstrated by the already well-established "Kashgar-Irkeshtam-Osh-Andijan-Tashkent" autocorridor, which for the first time allowed Central Asian road carriers to enter China directly.