Issue of Financing Construction of Railway Astara-Rasht Considered in Baku

Baku hosted a bilateral meeting of the Chairman of CJSC Azerbaijani Railways Javid Gurbanov and the Deputy Minister of Roads and Urban Construction of Iran Asghar Fahreyi Kashan.

The parties discussed the issue of financing the railway Astara-Rasht in Iran by Azerbaijan, the construction schedule and other issues related to the implementation of the project.

The President of Azerbaijan signed a decree "On the acceleration of work in the area of the North-South international transport corridors passing through the territory of Azerbaijan" on December 7, 2015. On April 20 this year at the state border between Azerbaijan and Iran the foundation of an 82.5 meter bridge across the river Astara was laid, and the construction of 8.3 km of the first section of the railway started from the station Astara to the border with Iran.

The construction of the Astara-Rasht-Qazvin railway between Azerbaijan and Iran will be completed in November 2016

Agreement on the establishment of the corridor North-South was signed by Russia, India and Iran in St. Petersburg on September 12, 2000. The agreement entered into force on 21 May 2002. In September of 2005, Azerbaijan joined the agreement.  --- 08D