As part of the official delegation of Kazakhstan, Minister of Industry and Infrastructure Development Kairbek Uskenbayev took part in the talks of the Heads of State Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Recep Tayyip Erdogan in an expanded format. At this event, the minister presented up-to-date information on the already launched, implemented and being developed Kazakh-Turkish projects in the field of transport, construction and military-technical cooperation.
K. Uskenbaev paid special attention to the development of the Trans-Caspian international transport route. He noted that last month the International Association TMTM was established, uniting the owners of the main infrastructure and carriers of Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey, Ukraine, Romania, Poland and China.
“An expanded meeting was held between the transport departments of the countries participating in the project, where a declaration on the development of TMTM was signed. It provides for the creation of a joint logistics company, the formation of an end-to-end tariff and a single logistics chain, the involvement of road carriers, etc. It is also planned to replenish the merchant fleet and create a container hub based on the Aktau Seaport SEZ. As an investor, it is planned to attract such world container operators as PSA Group, Maersk, MSC,” the minister said.
An additional impetus to the development of the project will be given by the commissioning of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway line, which will create an optimal route to Turkey with further access to the European railway network.
"The integration of existing and promising infrastructure projects with the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway line will make it possible to build a logistics chain from China through the Caspian Sea to Turkey and the countries of Southern Europe," the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan said.
Also, K. Uskenbaev announced an increase in the number of regular flights between the two countries.
“Currently, there are 37 passenger flights per week from Turkey to the Kazakh cities of Aktau, Aktobe, Almaty, Atyrau, Nur-Sultan, Turkestan and Shymkent. There are 24 weekly flights from Kazakhstan to Antalya and Istanbul. From May 13 this year, the number of flights will gradually increase by 63 flights per week from 10 cities of Kazakhstan to Antalya and Bodrum. In particular, flights from Karaganda, Kostanay, Uralsk and Ust-Kamenogorsk will be added. As a result, the total number of weekly flights between the countries will grow to 124,” the minister said.
He also added that the Ministry of Industry and Infrastructure Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan proposed to hold talks between the aviation authorities of the two countries to discuss expanding the geography of flights and further increasing the number of flights. An agreement has been reached, negotiations will take place in July this year in Istanbul.
Military-technical cooperation is successfully developing in partnership with Aselsan. The joint venture LLP "Kazakhstan Aselsan Engineering" is a manufacturer of a wide range of electronic-optical products and radio stations.
“Kazakhstan is interested in equipping the armed forces of the republic with modern equipment, so military-technical cooperation with Turkey is planned to be increased,” the head of the ministry said.
As a result of the state visit of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan K. Tokayev to Turkey, 11 bilateral documents were signed. Through the MIIR, Minister K. Uskenbaev signed an Intergovernmental Agreement on International Combined Cargo Transportation.
