The Associated Press April 25, 2011, 8:32AM ET

Persian Gulf, Central Asia in trade link deal


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ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan

Senior officials from Iran, Oman, Qatar, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan have signed an agreement to create an international transportation corridor that will serve a revamped link between energy-rich Central Asia and Persian Gulf ports.
Uzbek Foreign Minister Elyor Ganiyev said the route will be created from existing railroads running from Uzbekistan through Turkmenistan and further south to seaports in Iran.
Foreign ministers from the five nations met Monday in the Turkmen capital, Ashgabat.
The planned route would substantially ease trade exchanges between Persian Gulf nations and Central Asia, as well as China and Russia further north. Iran, in particular, hopes to export its oil to Central Asia.
Officials also called for investment to modernize and renovate the existing links.


http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9MQMJO80.htm