“Uzbekistan is implementing a national transport policy aimed at diversifying transport corridors in all directions, regardless of what global geopolitical turbulences and transformations are taking place at the present stage. But at the same time, of course, it is clear that the changes that are taking place right before our eyes require the intensification of this work,” said Bakhtiyor Ergashev, director of the Center for Research Initiatives of Uzbekistan Ma'no. This is stated in the message of the portal Ritmeurasia.org.
The expert did not say this directly, but he was clearly reacting to the reproaches that are heard against the leaders of the Central Asian countries who support the project of the Trans-Caspian transport corridor that bypasses Russia.
According to him, today Uzbekistan needs to work towards the implementation of those projects that will allow more efficient use of the transit potential. In particular, the most important initiative in this direction is the construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway corridor, which can become an important part of the so-called Middle Corridor.
“This is what I call the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor. Now it is beginning to be called the Trans-Caspian Transport Highway. This is the East-West corridor from China to Europe across the Caspian Sea, that is, China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan-Turkmenistan-Azerbaijan-Georgia-Turkey. This route will allow access to the seaports of the Mediterranean and Black Seas through Turkey,” said B. Ergashev.
The expert added that this is a very important and long-term transport corridor, especially given that overland rail and road traffic between Europe and Russia will decline in the medium term.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
July 3, 2023