Construction of Kars-Nakhchivan railway launched in Turkey

On Friday, August 22, a ceremony to launch the construction of the Kars-Igdir-Aralyk-Dilucu railway (on the border of Azerbaijan with the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic) was held in the Igdir province in eastern Turkey.

Speaking to the audience, Turkish Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloglu called the 224-kilometer Kars-Nakhchivan railway an important impetus for the development of Turkey's relations with regional and global players and a contribution to Ankara's geostrategic leadership.

"With the launch of the new railway route, a new page of peace and development will open in the South Caucasus. We are implementing an initiative that will affect the future of all of Eurasia," the head of the Turkish Ministry of Transport emphasized.

He added: "Today we are not only participating in the ceremony to launch the construction of the railway, but also witnessing the groundbreaking ceremony of the bridge connecting Turkey, Azerbaijan and Armenia. This project will become an impetus for the comprehensive development of socio-economic relations in the vast area from Beijing to London." The Minister emphasized: "The Kars-Nakhchivan railway is a concrete step towards the implementation of the Zangezur Corridor and the "Roadmap for Peace and Cooperation in Eurasia." The head of the Ministry of Transport expressed confidence that the new railway will become one of the central transport arteries of Turkey. He added that the strategic project, which is an important link in the Zangezur Corridor, is planned to be completed within 4-5 years.