ZAWYA

Iran signs customs cooperation agreement with 22 countries

24 June 2004

Tehran — Iran has signed customs cooperation agreements with 22 countries,
said the International Cooperation Department at Iran`s Customs
Administration here on Wednesday.

According to the Department, some of the agreements, related to a bill which
has been passed by Majlis, concern European, Asian and African states and
there are one signed with a South American state. The agreements help
upgrade level of commercial exchanges with countries and remove certain
impediments to expansion of economic cooperation.

The agreements are also expected to facilitate technical and educational
cooperation and help speedy exchange of information. Iran is now engaged in
talks with Syria, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Yemen, Morocco and China to sign the
agreements. Presently, contracts with Belarussia, Albania, Spain, Italy,
Romania, Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and
Hungary are undergoing their final stages.

In addition, Georgia, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, Portugal, Switzerland, France,
Tanzania, Zambia, Japan and the Philippines have voiced readiness for talks
to ink related agreements. Iran`s Customs Administration official has in
recent years signed 37 memoranda of understanding with 19 countries for
expansion of cooperation.

Russia, Macedonia, Bulgaria, Greece, Belgium, Azerbaijan, Austria, Ukraine,
Turkey, Armenia, India, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Tazakhstan, Sudan,
Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Tunisia, Cuba and Lebanon have so far
signed customs cooperation agreement with Iran.

© IRNA 2004

Article originally published by IRNA 24-Jun-04