TBILISI, Dec. 20 (Xinhua) -- The construction of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway line will be completed by early 2013, it was announced Tuesday after the seventh intergovernmental economic commission between Azerbaijan and Georgia.

With the trans-Caucasus railway project already in its final phase, construction of the section between Tbilisi and Kars will be over in the beginning of 2013, according to the commission.

Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey inked a deal in February 2007 to build the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway line, with Azerbaijan financing the project with a loan of 220 million U.S. dollars.

The construction had been scheduled to finish in 2010 but was delayed by the August 2008 conflict between Georgia and Russia.