OREANDA-NEWS. May 08, 2014. Prime Minister Karim Massimov has read a welcome speech of President Nursultan Nazarbayev to the forum participants during the inauguration of the 60th meeting of the Council for Rail Transport of CIS countries, Iran, Finland and Bulgaria in Astana.

"Holding the 60th anniversary meeting of the Council for Rail Transport uniting CIS and Baltic countries in Kazakhstan is a significant event in the development of our common rail space. Thanks to the work of the Council it is possible to provide a foundation for the development of integration ties in the region," the President said in his welcoming speech.

"Located between the European Union and the Asia-Pacific region, we have a natural competitive advantage as a geo-economic bridge between East and West, Europe and Asia. Transport and logistics center should become a driver of economic growth in the region and its integration into the global transport infrastructure in the context of globalization," the President emphasized.

As the Head of State noted, today Kazakhstan has made a significant contribution to the development of Euro-Asian transport space. New railway lines optimizing international transport corridors in the East- West and North-South cooperation based on the location of productive forces and regional development of our country are constructed.

In conclusion, Nursultan Nazarbayev wished the meeting participants a fruitful work, constructive exchange of views on the development of the railway sector, expressing confidence that the work of the anniversary meeting of the Board will give a new impetus to the development of international transport and logistics system.