Georgian PM, Kazakh counterpart discuss Middle Corridor route development
Tweet 
Share
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Tuesday praised bilateral cooperation with Kazakhstan and highlighted the importance of the further development of the Middle Corridor, a route connecting Central Asia and Europe via the South Caucasus, in a meeting with his Kazakh counterpart Alikhan Smailov in Almaty.
Extending his gratitude for “warm reception and hospitality” during the visit, the head of the Georgian Government recalled the Kazakh official’s June trip to Tbilisi, where he said they had discussed “ambitious plans and potential projects”, including the “full-scale” operation of the Corridor, also known as the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route.
He added the visit also involved the signing of a related roadmap, which Garibashvili called “important” in the development of the route.
The PM noted he also discussed the roadmap with Chinese officials during his visit to the country between July 27-31, adding “I believe our future cooperation will be as fruitful as it was before and is now”.
For his part, Smailov stressed his Government was attaching “great importance” to cooperation in transit and transport, and also said he welcomed partnership with Tbilisi over the development of the Corridor.
He also said the volume of cargo transportation through the route had increased by 77 percent over the past six months and reached 1.3 million tonnes.
The agreements reached during our last meeting have given an additional impetus to the development of the route”, Smailov said, adding “special importance” was given to digitisation, ensuring stable transportation rates and creating a single logistics operator along the Corridor.
Highlighting his Government's interest in increasing the transport connectivity of the South Caucasus region, he also noted the transit and transport potential of Georgia.
Kazakhstan and Georgia are connected by “close and long friendly ties and multilateral cooperation”, the official added, expressing gratitude for a “very good atmosphere” during his Tbilisi visit, where he said his discussions with the Georgian PM had involved a “wide range of questions”.
I am pleased to note that a traditional and high-level interaction further strengthens bilateral ties”, Smailov said, adding his Government was ready to further strengthen partnership with Georgia “based on trust and respect”. “Georgia is an important and reliable partner of Kazakhstan in the South Caucasus region”, he added.
Pointing to the “dynamically developing” cooperation and “positive trends” in trade and economy, Smailov noted bilateral trade had increased by 30 percent over the past six months.
“In order to further increase our trade turnover [and] our trade volumes, I suggest that we use the possibilities of our intergovernmental commission”, the Kazakh Prime Minister added.
Garibashvili arrived in Kazakhstan early on Tuesday, following his trip to China.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Tuesday said the Middle Corridor, also known as the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, was advancing at “an impressive pace”, boosting regional connectivity.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Tuesday arrived in Kazakhstan to hold meetings with his counterpart Alikhan Smailov.
The “positive dynamics” of cooperation between Georgia and Kazakhstan in trade, tourism, energy and culture were highlighted on Friday in a meeting between Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili and his Kazakh counterpart Alikhan Smailov, who on Thursday arrived in on his first official visit to the country.
Alikhan Smailov, the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan, on Friday said his Government was ready to expand cooperation with Georgia to utilise the Caspian and Black Sea basins as regional transport links.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibahsvili on Friday hailed his Government’s “close” and “strategic” partnership with Kazakhstan at a press briefing with his Kazakh counterpart Alikhan Smailov, who on Thursday arrived in Georgia on his first official visit.
Gia Volski, an MP from the ruling Georgian Dream party and the Vice Speaker of the Georgian Parliament, on Wednesday highlighted the Middle Corridor - a logistics route linking Europe and Asia via the South Caucasus - as “extremely important” for “East and West”.
Georgian Economy Minister Levan Davitashvili on Saturday said a new multimodal terminal in the Black Sea port city of Poti would contribute to strengthening the Middle Corridor, also known as the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, while placing a capsule in the foundation of the terminal with Marat Karabayev, the Minister of Industry and Infrastructure Development of Kazakhstan.
Zhou Qian, the Chinese Ambassador to Georgia, on Wednesday said the Middle Corridor - a transportation route network connecting China with Europe through the South Caucasus region - was “important” for Georgia’s “prosperity”, and added Chinese companies were “interested in all infrastructure projects” in the country and ready to become involved in case of “beneficial conditions”.
Georgian Deputy Economy Minister Guram Guramishvili on Thursday presented the transport and logistics development strategy to the sector professionals at a meeting organised by the Council of Investors, an independent advisory body under the Prime Minister of Georgia.
Georgian Economy Minister Levan Davitashvili on Friday highlighted the partnership and friendship with Kazakhstan, based on the principles of “equality, mutual respect and cooperation”, in his speech at the event dedicated to the Kazakhstan Republic Day.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Sunday sent his “deepest condolences” to families of the miners killed in the explosion in the Kostenko mine in Kazakhstan.