BAKU, Azerbaijan, Nov. 11
By Fidan Babayeva – Trend:
The consolidated connection of Azerbaijan’s Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic with the main part of Azerbaijan and the opening of all communications and roads, as well as the creation of a new transport and communication infrastructure will allow the Azerbaijani economy to grow by at least tens of millions of manat per year, Azerbaijani MP, doctor of economic sciences, professor Rufat Guliyev told Trend on Nov. 11.
“The flow of cargo to the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, which previously passed through Iran, led to a loss in time and cost of transportation,” Guliyev added.
"Now cargo transportation to the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic will increase by many times, and, of course, will become cheaper,” the MP said. “It is possible to say unambiguously that cargo transportation to the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic will be more intensive and efficient and will also give an impetus to the development of the infrastructure of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic.”
“Agriculture and manufacturing industry are developing at a fairly high rate in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic,” the MP said.
Touching upon the topic of passenger transportation to the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, Guliyev emphasized that earlier passengers were forced to either fly to the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic by airplanes or by transit through Iran.
“Now it will be much easier to travel to Nakhchivan,” the MP said.
"Until the current period, flights were subsidized by the state and cost much more, however, after the establishment of communication between Nakhchivan and the main part of Azerbaijan, the burden of the state due to subsidies will be reduced," the MP stressed.
Guliyev reminded that Azerbaijan and Iran had a kind of barter.
"We supplied Iran with energy, and Iran, in turn, supplied the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic with energy,” Guliyev said. “Now it will be possible to create an energy system into which the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic will be directly connected. These are great economic advantages for both Azerbaijan and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic."
In his address to people on November 10, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev announced about the lifting of the blockade of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic.
The Russian side undertakes to create a corridor through the Armenian territory, between Nakhchivan and the rest part of the Azerbaijani territory.
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