Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Iran, Oman and Qatar signed an agreement on creation of new international transport corridor on 25 April 2011.

Foreign Ministers of Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Iran, Oman and Qatar inked the document in Ashgabat, capital city of Turkmenistan.

Rashid Meredov underlined that the sides agreed text of document and signed the agreement on creation of the international transport and transit corridor, which will link Middle East and Central Asia in Ashgabat summit.

He said that the corridor will open new page in development of geo-economic cooperation and it will pass from Uzbekistan through Farab in Turkmenistan and Sarakhs in Iran to Persian Gulf to ports of Oman and Qatar. He said that the corridor will have significant importance for the region and it will help for further development of international cooperation.

Turkmen official said that the Ashgabat summit discussed issues of coordinating actions in developing transport system, fully use transit potential, boost investment activity in the context and confirmed their readiness to implement the project.

He said that the working committee, which includes representatives of participating countries, will gather in Doha (Qatar) and create Coordination Council.

As earlier reported, President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov proposed to create transport corridor Uzbekistan-Turkmenistan-Iran-Oman-Qatar and other states of Persian Gulf in Ashgabat on 19 October 2010.

According to the Uzbek side, the establishment of railway road communication from Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan to southern ports of Iran will help to create important transport network among the countries of Persian and Oman Gulfs and all Central Asian states.