Kyrgyzstan dissatisfied with neighboring Kazakhstan: Begins testing alternative transport routes bypassing Kazakhstan to Russia
Kyrgyzstan and Russia are advancing a plan for an alternative transport route bypassing Kazakhstan. The proposed southern transport corridor will connect the Russian port of Astrakhan, cross the Caspian Sea, reach the Turkmen port of Türkmenbaşy, and then continue overland through Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan to Kyrgyzstan.
According to Russian media citing First Deputy Prime Minister Daniyar Amangerdiev of Kyrgyzstan, the first test shipments along this corridor have already been completed.
Amangerdiev stated that Kyrgyzstan views this southern route across the Caspian Sea as a promising alternative for bilateral trade between the two countries.
"We are moving in this direction. We have established a strategic partnership in this field and share a common vision. We are currently in negotiations," he told TASS on April 3 during the CIS International Economic Forum held in Moscow.
Discussions about establishing this new transport corridor date back to October 2024, when Kyrgyzstan’s Prime Minister Akylbek Zhamalov visited Moscow.
For Kyrgyzstan, the southern transport corridor offers a way to reduce dependency on transit through Kazakhstan. Currently, most freight transportation between Russia and Kyrgyzstan passes through Kazakhstan. Trucks from Kyrgyzstan often face delays lasting several days at borders, posing significant obstacles—especially for perishable agricultural products.
This new corridor is expected to alleviate these bottlenecks and provide an alternative route connecting Kyrgyzstan with Russia’s European part. Kazakhstan will continue to serve as the primary transit route for Russia’s trade with Siberia, the Urals, and the Far East.
Source: Central Asia Times
Author: Sergey Guan
Original: toutiao.com/article/1861928811756548/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) alone.