Iran, Uzbekistan agree to implement transportation coop.

The Iranian road minister Mehrdad Bazrpash in a joint meeting with Bahtiyor Saidov, the head of the visting Uzbek negotiating team and Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Ilhom Mahkamov the Minister of Transport of Uzbekistan, considered the transit sector as one of the important and strategic axes of cooperation between the two countries and said, “The cooperation opportunity and potentials between Iran and Uzbekistan in combined transportation and development of transit relations is ready, and Iran is prepared to cooperate in this field.”

“The draft of the comprehensive plan agreement between the two countries in the field of transportation has been prepared and there are high poentials for Uzbekistan’s participation and cooperation in the southern and northern ports as well as the North-South corridor”, added the Iranian minister.

Referring to the possibility of the maritime economy prosperity in the southern ports of Iran, Bazrpash noted that “Uzbekistan’s request to become a member of the Chabahar Agreement has been accepted.”

Bahtiyor Saidov, for his part, referred to the implementation of important agreements between the two countries since last year and added that the main focus of economic relations between Iran and Uzbekistan is transportation and logistics.

“Considering the facilities and interest of the two countries, the volume of cargo transportation between Iran and Uzbekistan can increase significantly”, Saidov further pointed out.

Other issues raised in this meeting were the compilation of the designing of a road map in the field of cargo and passenger transport between the two countries, as well as the implementation of the 1993 agreement with some changes and amendments.

The facilitation of road and rail transportation by reducing tariffs and facilitating the conditions for the passage of drivers between the two countries was also discussed in the meeting.

In order to achieve better and faster results, it was decided that the two countries introduce plenipotentiary representatives to agree on the details of the negotiated topics.

SKH/IRN85054747