Borrel wants the E.U. to develop new logistic routes to Central Asia

The European Union can benefit from deeper connections with Central Asia given the region’s potential in the sphere of energy, commodities and logistics, according to High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Joseph Borrel.

The official believes that the E.U. needs new transport routes bypassing Russia.

«We must deepen our ties with the region and tap into the vast potential it has to offer, in terms of energy supplies, critical raw materials and new transport corridors that do not depend on Russia (to so-called Middle Corridor or Trans Caspian Corridor),» he wrote in his blog on the official web site of the E.U.

In the middle of November, Borrel visited the region. In Kazakhstan, he met with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. They discussed ways the E.U. and Kazakhstan can strengthen their bilateral economic and investment relations.

The Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR) stretches through China, Kazakhstan, the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, Georgia and the E.U. The TITR association includes Kazakhstan Railways, the Port of Aktau, Azerbaijan Railways, Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping Company, the Port of Baku, Georgian Railways, Turkish Railways and Ukrainian Railways.