A Meeting of the ECO Countries en-route the Istanbul-Tehran-Almaty Container and Passenger Trains was held at the ECO Secretariat on 11 December, 2008. It was attended by representatives of Iran, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan as also attended by delegations from Tajikistan, the Kyrgyz Republic and the People’s Republic of China.
The Meeting decided to prepare a revised time-table for the Container Train by shortening the duration of the idle time, simplifying customs procedures, ensuring swift change of locomotives and enhancing capacity for bogie changes at border stations.
The Meeting considered wagon rates and tariff tables submitted by the en-route countries for 20 feet and 40 feet containers, and decided to further reduce and harmonize the tariffs.
The participating delegations agreed on ways and means to implement the regional survey on operationalizing the ECO container and passenger trains on Istanbul-Almaty route as part of the Feasibility Study approved by the ECO Council of Permanent Representatives in its 135th meeting (May 18, 2008). The study would cost US$60,000.
The delegation of the People's Republic of China actively participated in the meeting. It renewed China's interest in revitalizing the China-Middle East-Europe Railway Corridor under the aegis of the ECO Container Train project on Istanbul-Almaty route. They explained that the participation of China would also help resolve the issue of empty containers returning from Almaty to Istanbul. The Meeting took specific decisions on ways to have the railways of People’s Republic of China connected to the ECO Container Train.
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