17:48 - 13.06.2018

---

June 13, Fineko/abc.az. Today in Baku, Azerbaijani Railways (ADY) chairman Javid Gurbanov met with reps of the delegation led by vice president for development of international activity of the National Railways of Italy Giovanni Rocca.

ADY reports that the parties focused on the issues of cooperation between the railway companies of Azerbaijan and Italy.

"The participants of the Italian delegation stressed significance of railway project Baku-Tbilisi-Kars for Italy and entire Europe, comparing it with Azerbaijan's projects in the energy sector. They said that the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway line will serve for further development of the cargo transportation system and increase of the cargo flow in the direction of Europe-Asia. During the conversation the sides also covered the prospects of cargo transportation from the Italian ports of Trieste and Bari through Turkey’s Mersin, the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway and further through the territory of Azerbaijan to Iran, Central Asia and China. The competitiveness of the proposed route in the transportation of goods and in the opposite direction,” ADY informed.

Besides, the possibilities of further transportation of cargo by Italian Railways to France, Germany and the Benelux countries were considered. The Italian side, having provided the Azerbaijani side with information on export-import operations between the EU and Iran, Central Asia and China, as well as a potential cargo base, declared its interest in cooperation with Azerbaijan Railways.

Following the meeting and negotiations, the parties signed the Memorandum.