Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan agree on TASIM construction

"The signing of the contract with Kazakhstan is expected in the first half of 2015, and construction work may begin by the end of the year,” Abbasov said.

The TASIM project is aimed at creation of a transnational fiber-optic line from Frankfurt to Hong Kong. The project will benefit the region by improving connectivity, and will eventually lead to economic development.

The main transit route will pass through China, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey, and continue all the way to Germany. An alternative, northern route is expected to stretch through Russia, Ukraine and Poland.

Currently, the TASIM project involves Russia’s Rostelekom, Kazakhstan’s KazTransKom, Turkish TurkTelecom, Chinese China Telecom, and Azerbaijan represented by the Center for International Relations and Calculations of the Ministry of Communications and High Technologies.