Dec 23, 2016, 3:17 PM

Pres. Rouhani:

Iran eyes closer ties with Central Asia

Iran eyes closer ties with Central Asia

BISHKEK, Dec. 23 (MNA) – Iranian President Rouhani said Iran holds expansion of ties with Central Asian countries in high regard, urging the implementation of Iran-Kyrgyzstan ten-year road map for cooperation.

Speaking at the meeting of high-ranking delegations of Iran and Kyrgyzstan on Friday, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani expressed the country’s eagerness for expanding relations between Tehran and Bishkek in all areas of mutual interest, and welcomed Kyrgyzstan’s independent stance on regional and international issues.

Rouhani stressed the need for developing banking ties between the two countries for facilitating trade transactions and bilateral economic cooperation, adding “any step toward boosting investment and improving the level of trade volume between two countries is no doubt dependent on good banking relations.”

The President also noted that the Iranian private sector and major companies are ready to take part in joint projects on construction of hydroelectric power plants, dams and roads, pharmaceuticals, and other engineering and technical services in Kyrgyzstan.

He further welcomed President Almazbek Atambayev’s proposal for the construction of a new railway via China, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan that will finally reach Iran, adding “the railway can serve as a transit corridor and another secure route for trade relations with China and access to the Sea of Oman and the Indian Ocean through Iran.”

Rouhani also voiced Iran’s readiness to provide friendly countries, particularly Kyrgyzstan, with its own experiences in fighting terrorism in the region.

President Atambayev, for his part, maintained that the implementation of Iran's nuclear deal and the lift of sanctions against the country has been a tremendous help in developing economic cooperation at the regional level.

He further expressed his country’s keen interest in expanding cooperation with Iran in various fields of energy, transit, agriculture and food processing, transport and communications, and construction of hydroelectric power plants by Iranian companies. 

MS/IRN82357488

News ID 122223

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