BUCHAREST, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Romanian Foreign Minister Teodor Melescanu signed on Monday a declaration on the country's commitment to a freight route linking the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, together with his counterparts from Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkmenistan.
Melescanu told a briefing afterwards that signing of the document also expresses the common commitment to "rendering this project operational as soon as possible".
The declaration reflects the political will of the four countries for the development of new transport corridors in the region, according to Romania's regional analysts.
They said that Romania's membership is very important and will enable the European Union (EU) to be involved in this corridor which is entirely possible to be the shortest, most profitable way to connect Europe to Central Asia through the region.
Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov spoke about the role of the Romanian Presidency of the EU Council in promoting this project, saying that "reference to the Presidency of the EU Council and Romania's EU membership will turn this project attractive to other EU member states, so that they use this freight corridor".
The Black Sea-Caspian Sea freight corridor is a project launched by Turkmenistan and Romania aimed at creating an intermodal maritime, river, rail and road transport route between Central and Northern Europe, the South Caucasus and Central Asia, with a perspective to connect to the Asia-Pacific region, the Romanian top diplomat said.
According to him, the route is based "on the geographic continuity of Romania, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan, the facilities offered by Constanta Port in Romania, Poti Port of Georgia, Baku Port of Azerbaijan and Turkmenbashi Port of Turkmenistan and on the direct connection between Constanta Port and the Danube, and subsequently the water courses and internal channels on the European continent, which is favorable to accessing goods in Central and Northern Europe".
Melescanu also commented the "special emphasis the European Union sets on connectivity", saying that his country's support for the EU's Strategy for Central Asia, due to be adopted in June this year, during the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
