ECO working session holds meeting in Qeshm

Participants of the ECO member states discussed necessary strategies for promotion of economic cooperation among the member states during the meeting. They also discussed about the agenda for the 15th ECO ministerial meeting due to be held on August 20 in Astana, Kazakhstan.

The Council of Permanent Representatives (CPR), a permanent body affiliated to the ECO, is in charge to follow up the ECO policies and examine issues requiring the members’ consent.

During the meeting, ECO Secretary General Askhat Orazbay delivered a speech on the expansion of economic cooperation and the member countries’ investments in the Qeshm Free Zone.

Also, Iran's deputy foreign minister for economic affairs Ali Majedi, commented on the sidelines of the 100th meeting on the CPR of the Economic Cooperation Organization, Iranian Students News Agency (ISNA) reported.

Majedi said that considering Iran's potentials and capabilities, the QFZ should become a production hub in the Middle East region. He added that no other regional country is able to compete with Iran in this respect.

He also noted, “The Middle East region has the potential to become an economic zone,” emphasizing that the inhabitants of the region deserve a better living standard.

"However, the regional country possessing the requirements to this end should be a forerunner in this respect. Given Iran's potentials, the president-elect may focus on this matter,” he stipulated further.

"Qeshm Island can play a decisive role to this end and serve as a hub, handling part of the regional trade exchange and transit of goods," he added.

He also stated that once fundamental projects, such as construction of a bridge over Persian Gulf, were implemented, the region could be turned into a major economic hub, IRNA reported.

Concerning the measures taken by the Foreign Ministry to introduce the capabilities of QFZ as a free trade zone, he said that the Foreign Ministry would introduce the existing capabilities in the island through Iran’s embassies in foreign countries, inviting the envoys of foreign states to visit the area.

Meanwhile, Turkey's ambassador to Tehran, Buzcott Aran, here on Friday asked for broader relations with Islamic Republic of Iran in the framework of the regional Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), IRNA reported.

Ambassador Aran said, "Signing the ECOTA economic pact was a significant and long stride taken in the history of ECO.”

He reiterated, "ECO's three main members (Turkey, Iran and Pakistan) wish to reform the laws implemented within the framework of ECOTA by adopting an urgent joint strategy.

He said, "By implementation of these laws in the course of eight years, the customs tariffs among ECO members would be decreased by ten percent, a noticeable amount."

Turkey's envoy to Iran added, "The countries must, in a short period, improve their relations, one of the issues to be agreed upon during the next meeting of ECO members' commerce ministers in Istanbul.”

Aran stressed, "Turkey has signed the ECOTA Pact, but the country's national parliament has not ratified it yet."

Touching on Tehran-Ankara bilateral ties, he said, "Both countries' relations have never been on such a peak before. At the moment, the right trend and the potential for much broader development of ties are of great importance to both parties."

Focusing on ECO's various economic meetings, he said, "Expansion of Economic ties among ECO member states at international level is in need of holding many rounds of lengthy negotiations."

He reiterated, "Holding numerous meeting by various ECO-affiliated groups gradually paves the path for improvement of regional economic relations.”

Also during the meeting, Tajik ambassador to Tehran Ramezan Mirzayev said, “For his part, his country's economic relations with Iran stand at an acceptable level.”

Mirzayev said that economic ties between the two countries have enjoyed a growing trend during the past few years.

Stressing the importance of further boost in bilateral trade ties, he noted that both Iranian and Tajik officials are determined to expand mutual relations at various political, economic and cultural fields.

Referring to development projects implemented by Iranian firms in Tajikistan, he added that construction of Sangtudeh 2 power plant would flourish Tajik economy.

He said the current volume of Iran-Tajikistan trade exchanges stand at 130-140 million dollars annually, adding that the figure is expected to increase during the coming years.

The participants are expected to visit the zone, Qeshm, today to inspect the economic and trade potentials.

Iran, Turkey, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan and Afghanistan are the ECO member states. The 100th meeting of the Council of Permanent Representatives (CPR) of the ECO ends its work today.

RA/ML

END

MNA