Dear deputy friends, precious guests, ladies and gentlemen; I greet you with all my greatest emotions, warmest regards and love.

I pray for Allah that this AK Party Parliamentary Group Meeting leads and contributes to good deeds for our party and nation.

I wish you a successful and productive week in your parliamentary work.

Last week we had a very important trip to Azerbaijan.

We officially opened the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway together with President of Azerbaijan my brother Ilham Aliyev, Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Mr. Sagintiyev, Uzbekistan Prime Minister Aripov and Prime Minister of Georgia Mr. Kvirikashvili.

This project, which will provide uninterrupted rail transportation from London to China, has the importance that can change the future of commercial and human relations in our region.

As a matter of fact, after the opening ceremony the first train loaded with wheat from the Kazakhstan has reached the port of Mersin much earlier than envisaged.

With the completion of the ongoing infrastructure works, it will be possible to reach China from Europe via railway in two weeks.

Thus, a new trade route would have emerged as an alternative to a month-long sea route and very high cost airline transportation.

At the first stage, the capacity of this line that will carry one million passengers and 6.5 million tons of cargo per year will increase up to two or three times over time.
 
I hope once again that the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway leads and contributes to good deeds for our countries, region and the whole world.