ENVOY: IRAN, ARMENIA TO FURTHER PROMOTE BILATERAL TIES IN FUTURE

Fars News Agency
Feb 10 2010
Iran

TEHRAN (FNA)- Armenian Envoy to Tehran Grigor Araklian underlined
that cooperation between Iran and his country serves the interests
of both nations, and foresaw bright prospects for the two countries’
bilateral ties.

"There is a good prospect for cooperation between Iran and Armenia,"
Araklian said in an exclusive interview with FNA on Wednesday.

Noting that Tehran and Yerevan have performed abundant joint activities
in economic, cultural and industrial fields since his country declared
independence 18 years ago, he stressed the need for the two neighboring
countries to launch cooperation in all fields.

Meantime, Araklian said that the two sides’ cooperation has always
been moving on an upward trend, reminding that Tehran and Yerevan have
endorsed over 200 cooperation agreements during the last two decades.

Referring to a number of obstacles in the way of the two countries’
relations, he reiterated that Armenia enjoys an open economic system
but certain rules in Iran have made it difficult for Armenian companies
to run activity in the country.

"If both countries become members of an international economic body
(like WTO), it would render much help to the expansion of their
relations," he added.

Iran on Tuesday held an international conference in Tehran on
introducing the trade and investment opportunities of Armenia during
which the Armenian and Iranian officials expressed the hope that the
relations between the two countries would further develop.

Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Amir Mansour Borqe’i called on
Iranian and Armenian officials to use all the existing potentials
and capabilities to increase trade ties and exchanges between the
two countries.

"Iran and Armenia should use all the existing potentials to expand
commercial activities and mutual investment by the (two countries’)
private sector," Borqe’i said.

Also, Senior Advisor to Armenian President Ahram Narsisian reiterated
that Yerevan is seeking to promote relations with Iran.

Narsisian stressed the necessity of a proper understanding of the
existing impediments to expansion of relations between the two
countries.