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KASPIANSK /Dagestan/, October 30. /TASS/. A potential tunnel under the Strait of Hormuz could serve as an extension of the North-South corridor, Andrey Belyaninov, Secretary General of the World Peoples Assembly told TASS at the 3rd International Caspian Digital Forum. "There's another idea, not a project – it would be great if a tunnel were built through the Strait of Hormuz, which separates Iran and the Arabian Peninsula. It's only 53 kilometers long. This would create new logistical opportunities and new transport flows and corridors for the development of the North-South corridor," he said. The official noted that Arab counties are interested in this idea. "What is most important, in conversations with our Arab friends, I see how interested they are in the development of the corridor and the possibility of such a tunnel under the Strait of Hormuz," he said. Belyaninov stressed the importance of the North-South Corridor. According to him, his "experience of communicating with a large number of people from different countries suggests that the corridor is highly anticipated." "It's working, but I'd like it to be more intensive, because there's potential for involving other regions—not only the Caspian Sea and the countries bordering it, but also the Persian Gulf countries," Belyaninov noted. He also stressed that the implementation of the tunnel under the Strait of Hormuz "is not a matter for decades, it can be resolved fairly quickly." "In any case, this idea deserves attention, so it can be discussed and perhaps even implemented," Belyaninov concluded. An intergovernmental agreement on the creation of the multimodal transport corridor North-South was signed by Russia, India and Iran in 2000. Later, the number of participants rose to 14. The project is aimed at attracting transit of cargo flows from India, Iran and the Persian Gulf countries through Russian territory to Europe. Currently the project unites several various transport systems of separate countries. About the Forum The 3rd International Caspian Digital Forum is being held October 30-31 in Kaspiysk, Dagestan. The main topics include the development of the North-South international transport corridor, the environmental situation around the Caspian Sea, and marketplaces. The forum is sponsored by the Digital Development Ministry, the Foreign Ministry, the government of Dagestan, and Digital Forums LLC, with the support of the Digital Economy Autonomous Non-Profit Organization. TASS is the forum's general information partner.
