ZANGILAN, Azerbaijan, April 16. Azerbaijan's
Aghband bridge is becoming a key link in regional logistics, Deputy
Prime Minister Shahin Mustafayev told reporters, Trend's Karabakh bureau
reports.
He said that the bridge is fully ready, and the construction of
the border crossing point is expected to be completed soon.
According to him, the Iranian side is also preparing temporary
transit infrastructure on its territory. Once the project is fully
completed, connectivity between the Persian Gulf and the Black Sea
will become more efficient.
Mustafayev also touched upon the issues under discussion. He
noted that meetings held within the framework of economic
cooperation between Azerbaijan and Russia are now increasingly
being organized outside the capitals, in the regions. This creates
additional opportunities for broader discussions of both general
and regional issues between the parties:
“The first meeting in this format was held in August last year
in Astrakhan city during the 23rd session of the intergovernmental
commission. This new approach is already becoming a positive
tradition, and future sessions are also planned to be organized in
the regions.
During this session, the current state of Azerbaijan–Russia
economic cooperation across all areas was analyzed, joint proposals
were prepared, and relevant decisions were made. The protocol
signed as a result of the meeting is considered an important
document for future cooperation. Relations between the two
countries are successfully developing based on the political will
of the presidents. Trade and economic relations are particularly
noteworthy. Thus, trade turnover has exceeded $4.9 billion, and in
the first three months of the current year, this figure has
surpassed $750 million. Additional steps are planned to further
increase these figures in the future.
“We expressed our gratitude to the Russian side for the projects
it's implementing in the liberated territories. As you know, Russia
has established a service center of the ‘KamAZ’ company in the Araz
Valley Economic Zone. At the same time, the Astrakhan region
continues the construction of a kindergarten in Kahrizli village in
the Gubadli district.
A broad economic potential between Azerbaijan and Russia was
emphasized, and Russian companies were invited to cooperate in
various sectors. Tomorrow, a meeting of the Azerbaijan–Russia
Business Council will be held in Baku, where presentations will be
organized with the participation of business representatives.
One of the main areas of cooperation between the two countries
is transport and logistics. Azerbaijan is located at the
intersection of the North–South and East–West transport corridors,
which increases the country’s strategic importance.
The Aghband bridge plays a special role in this regard. Through
this bridge, it will be possible to transport cargo toward the
Persian Gulf. At the same time, this route serves to strengthen
Azerbaijan–Iran–Nakhchivan–Türkiye connections,” Mustafayev
added.
The deputy prime minister underscored that, according to the
agreement signed on December 21, 2024, regarding the North–South
transport corridor, it is planned to expand railway capabilities in
Azerbaijan and to construct the Rasht–Astara railway line on the
Iranian side.
“This project will make it possible to establish a direct
railway connection from Russia to the Persian Gulf.
Recent tensions in the region have once again demonstrated the
importance of the North–South corridor. At the initiative of the
President of Azerbaijan, conditions have been created for the
transit of cargo through the direction of Armenia. Within this
framework, more than 26,000 tons of cargo have been transported so
far, and this step has been highly appreciated,” he pointed
out.
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