Participants exchanged experiences within the framework of a United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) project on Eurasian transport links. They also discussed the recent development of logistics centres and other initiatives aimed at promoting railway and road transport development in the region.

"The OSCE works to reduce the impact of non-physical obstacles to international transport by helping countries to harmonise their import, export, customs and border crossing procedures," said Roel Janssens, Economic Adviser at the OSCE Secretariat in Vienna. "This improves the access of landlocked developing countries to seaports and major markets, strengthening their trade and transport potential." Yazgeldi Nazarov, Head of the Turkmenbashi Port Authority, added: "The Caspian Sea provides feasible transport connections to both the European and the rapidly growing Asian markets. It has the potential to support stable economic relations among all countries in this region."

Michalis Adamantiadis, Chief of UNECE's Transport Facilitation and Economics Section said that a recent UNECE analysis had confirmed "the need to co-ordinate the development of priority transport infrastructure as well as the need to intensify efforts to facilitate international transport and transit."

Around 50 representatives of railway and transport authorities in Central Asia, South Caucasus, Eastern Europe and OSCE Asian Partners Afghanistan and Mongolia are taking part in the 1.5-day meeting.

The OSCE supported the workshop followed discussions on improving land transportation and facilitating international transport by road and rail held during the 2010 OSCE Economic and Environmental Forum, the last part of which was held in May in Prague.

On Wednesday, workshop participants will visit to the Turkmenbashi Port.