Erdogan: the Silk Road should be restored

ECO countries have 400 million people and millions of square kilometers of territory. They possess large reserves of natural resources and have great potential, said at the ECO  summit in Baku, the  Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The main priorities of the region he called the search of democracy and an equitable  division of natural and national resources. 

 "The period after  the World War II showed that the existing world system does not provide full  justice. Plans  of organizations, determining the  world politics, should be more clear and understandable," he said. 

Erdogan considers important active participation of  ECO-states in coping with the global economic and financial crisis. "Regional cooperation should be expanded, we have not been able to realize our potential, and the total GDP of the ECO is only 2% of the world economy",  he said. 

 Concerning  an  agreement on mutual trade ,  signed eight years ago, the Turkish prime minister said the country was unable to create a free trade zone, which would increase the volume of trade between the countries of the ECO by eight times. He also called  on to  increased  the role of the region in ensuring food safety. 

It is necessary to restore historical traditions of the Silk Road with  participation of Pakistan and Central Asia, and facilitate transportation. In this regard, an important role will play the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway and road transport," he said. -03С-