Humanitarian Aid in Afghanistan Delivered Via Georgia
The European Union?s humanitarian aid for Afghanistan, which is transported via Georgia through the TRACECA [the transport corridor Europe ? the Caucasus ? Asia] route, arrived in Tbilisi on September 16.
In accordance with the Order of the President of Georgia, a special governmental commission has been set up to ensure safe transportation of the freight. Secretary of the National Security Council Tedo Japaridze will lead the commission.
?I think this project, which is being implemented with the participation of several European countries and companies, is a serious achievement for our country. Georgia is the shortest route for the European Union to connect Central Asia and other eastern countries,? the Georgian President said on September 15.
The ships loaded with the humanitarian aid arrived at the port of Poti of Georgia on September 15.
On the initiative of DaimlerChrysler AG and under the auspices of the European Union, a convoy of ten Mercedes-Benz trucks plus support vehicles carrying more than 200 tons of goods for reconstruction projects has set off for Afghanistan on September 7.
According to the DaimlerChrysler official web-site, it will take about one month for the convoy to cover the approx. 6,000 km-long New Great Silk Road route.
Georgian authorities admit that the development of the New Great Silk Road route also increases possibility of drug trafficking from Afghanistan to Europe via Georgia.
Spokesman for the Georgian State Security Ministry Nika Laliashvili told reporters that Valeri Khaburdzania, the Security Minister, will visit Afghanistan in November to discuss measures against drug trafficking.
