IMPORTANT PROJECTS ON IRAN-ARMENIA AGENDA – FOREIGN MINISTER
IRNA website, Tehran
20 Jul 07
Yerevan, 20 July: Iran’s Foreign Minister Manuchehr Mottaki said
Friday [20 July] that important projects are on the agenda of Iran
and Armenia.
Addressing the inauguration ceremony of the 7th session of the
Iran-Armenia Joint Economic Cooperation Commission, Mottaki said,
"The two countries’ relations have improved significantly over
recent years."
Mottaki added that many documents have been signed in the economic,
energy, investment and transportation sectors and finalization of
other important documents is on agenda.
Referring to the free trade agreement between the two countries,
he expressed hope that signing it would cause a huge jump in mutual
economic transactions.
Iran’s foreign minister notified that Iran-Armenia gas pipeline, two
electricity transmission lines and wind power station, undertaken by
Iran in Armenia, are examples of good progress in implementation of
mutual agreements.
He added that agreement on Aras hydroelectric power station, study
of Iran-Armenia railway connection, establishment of a refinery in
Armenia by Iran, Russia and Armenia and of Iranian trade centre in
Armenia with participation of private sector are also on agenda.
Armenian energy minister and head of Armenian delegation in the
Joint Economic Cooperation Commission pointed to inauguration of
Iran-Armenia gas pipeline by Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinezhad
and termed it a historical event which opens a new page in history
of bilateral relations.
Meeting of the experts of the joint commission began in Yerevan on 17
July, and their officials are due to sign Memorandum of Understanding
(MOU) on Friday.
Mottaki and the accompanying delegation arrived in Yerevan Friday
morning to attend the Joint Commission session.
Volume of mutual transactions stands at 200 million dollars, about
160 million dollars of which coming from Iran’s exports to Armenia
and the remaining 40 million dollars from the Republic’s exports to
the Islamic state.