OREANDA-NEWS. March 13, 2009. The official presentation of the Silk Road Rally-2009 initiated by the President of Turkmenistan was held in Moscow. The Kazan-Ashgabat Rally included in the 2009 sports calendar of the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) gained the status of the Dakar series. The competitions meeting the high standards of the Organization and the Dakar sporting values are arranged under this label.

The representatives of the Dakar Rally Directorate, the 2009 Silk Road Organizing Committee, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan and the Russian Automobile Federation attended the presentation. In presence of the journalists and sportsmen Semen Yakubov, Kazan-Ashgabat Rally Project Manager and Frederic Lequien, a representative of Amaury Sport Organisation (A.S.O.) signed the contract of cooperation. In accordance with the document A.S.O. – the creator and promoter of the Dakar Rally is to organize the Kazan-Ashgabat Rally on equal terms with the Turkmen Directorate and KAMAZ-Master crew.

The participants expressed belief that the Silk Road Off-Road Rally which would cross the territories of Russia, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan would become an outstanding sporting event of global importance and be of great interest to racing drivers and numerous fans. That the President of Turkmenistan signed the special resolution authorizing the relevant departments to ensure the high level of organisation of the international off-road rally vividly illustrates special significance attached by Turkmenistan to the preparations for the forthcoming competitions.

The 2009 Silk Road Rally aroused great interest worldwide. The Organizing Committee received over 300 applications for participation in the Rally. The Turkmen crews will take part in the competition that will be a powerful incentive for developing motor sport in the country. In the near future on the initiative of the Turkmen leader the motordromes will be constructed in all the regions and the Turkmen capital.