Turkish Premier Leaves for Georgia to Sign Railway Accord

Text of report in English by Turkish news agency Anatolia

ANKARA (A.A) -07.02.2007 -Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan left for Georgia on Wednesday.

An agreement on Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway project will be signed at a ceremony which will be participated by Erdogan, Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

Erdogan who will hold talks with Saakashvili and Aliyev will also attend inauguration of Tbilisi International Airport constructed by Turkish-Austrian consortium TAV.

Turkish Energy & Natural Resources Minister Hilmi Guler and Transportation Minister Binali Yildirim are accompanying the Prime Minister.

Prior to his departure for Georgia, Erdogan told reporters at Esenboga Airport in Ankara that Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway project would yield new opportunities.

“I will also have bilateral meetings with Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev during my stay. We will discuss especially recent developments in South Caucasus,” he stated.

Erdogan added that he believed his visit would boost relations with regional countries.

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