Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 25
By Maksim Tsurkov – Trend:
Lithuania appreciates mutually beneficial cooperation with Azerbaijan in maritime, air, road and freight transport, Lithuania’s Ministry of Transport and Communications told Trend and Azernews.
“Lithuania is sure that the cooperation will continue to develop successfully,” the ministry said. "Lithuania has created a good multimodal transport and logistics system and plays the role of an important transit country in the East-West and North-South transport corridors. Therefore, our country offers Azerbaijan safe, fast and inexpensive transportation of Azerbaijani cargo to Europe and Scandinavian countries."
The ministry added that Azerbaijan's joining the Viking international combined train project is an important point in the Lithuanian-Azerbaijani cooperation.
"Our countries have confirmed their desire to expand cooperation in motor transportation and cargo transportation and conclude an agreement on cooperation in international passenger and cargo transportation," the ministry said. “Moreover, Lithuania is ready to continue coordinating the draft intergovernmental agreement on maritime transport."
Lithuania is interested in increasing the number of air routes and one of the priority directions is to launch a direct regular air service between Azerbaijan and Lithuania.
"We have been informed about Azerbaijan's interest in continuing the process of coordinating the draft intergovernmental agreement on air communication,” the ministry said. “We are interested in negotiations on Azerbaijan's accession to the European Common Aviation Area."
Development of transport infrastructure in the Eastern Partnership region is a key element of the European Neighborhood Policy. Lithuania, as an EU member, supports the expansion of the Trans-European Transport Network to the Eastern Partnership countries.
"Lithuania invites Azerbaijan to cooperate with the EU within existing programs and instruments aimed at strengthening transport ties between the EU and Azerbaijan," the ministry said.
The Viking project was launched by Lithuania, Belarus and Ukraine in 2003. Azerbaijan joined the project in 2016. Later, Romania, Bulgaria and Georgia also joined the project. Despite Azerbaijan's joining the project, until today there have been no actual supplies through the territory of the country.
---
Follow the author on Twitter: @MaksimTsurkov
