Baku, Tehran wrap up economic cooperation talks

The sides have agreed on the general outlines of eight documents on cooperation in the fields of industry, health, and transportation.

One of the documents concerns cooperation on oil and gas swap, according to Iran's Minister of Economic Affairs and Finance Masoud Karbasian.

The documents are expected to be exchanged during the upcoming visit of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani to Baku in late March.

A delegation headed by Azerbaijan’s Economy Minister and co-chairman of the State Commission for Cooperation Shahin Mustafayev took part in the 12th meeting of Iran-Azerbaijan Intergovernmental Commission for Economic, Trade and Humanitarian Cooperation and held a number of meetings with Iranian top officials on March 13-14.

Within the framework of his visit, Mustafayev met with Iranian health minister Hassan Hashemi to discuss the expansion of cooperation in the health sector.

Hashemi called for expansion of cooperation between Iran and Azerbaijan, saying the deepening of ties between the two neighboring countries would protect the interests of both countries.

“Future and current interests of our countries in the fields of security, economy and independence hinge upon the expansion of cooperation between the two countries, and there are various grounds for cooperation,” Hashemi told the Azerbaijani minister.

Calling for cooperation in the pharmaceutical sector, Iranian minister said the medical universities in the cities of Ardabil, Tabriz, and Urmia are ready to cooperate with Azerbaijan in operating a hospital and also in education.

Iran’s Minister of Industry, Mine and Trade Mohammad Shariatmadari, at the meeting with Mustafayev, said that Iran offers Azerbaijan to create a joint industrial commission, Azerbaijan’s Economy Ministry reported.

Shariatmadari noted that such a commission could have operated under the Azerbaijan-Iran State Commission for Cooperation in economic, trade and humanitarian spheres.

In his turn, Mustafayev noted that the peoples of Azerbaijan and Iran have historically always been close to each other. He said that the heads of both countries attach special importance to the development of ties, adding that over the past four years, 10 high-level meetings have been held and decisions have been made to develop cooperation in various areas.

Holding these meetings and negotiations enabled to increasingly develop the mutual relations between the two countries, he noted.

During the meeting, the sides discussed joint projects, including the International North-South Transport Corridor, the automobile plant in Neftchala Industrial Park of Azerbaijan, the joint production of agricultural machinery and buses, as well as other issues.

Mustafayev also touched upon the possibility of Iran’s investing in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, which is of strategic importance for Azerbaijan.

Speaking to reporters in Tehran on March 13, Mustafayev also informed that the first phase of the terminal complex in Iran's Astara is expected to be opened in the near future within the framework of the North-South international transport corridor, and the whole complex will be put into operation before the end of 2018.

The minister stressed that the North-South project is one of the most successful projects implemented between Iran and Azerbaijan.

“The Azerbaijani side has already completed the entire work [within the framework of the North-South project] on its territory. The first cargoes on the North-South route are already transported,” the minister said.

The North-South transport corridor is designed to connect northern Europe with India and South-East Asia. The route will also connect the railways of Iran, Azerbaijan and Russia.

Mustafayev further noted that the relations between Azerbaijan and Iran are developing very successfully.

“Particularly, very good results have been achieved during the last four years, primarily due to the political will of the heads of our states. I want to note the great success in all spheres. The trade relations between our countries are developing. In 2017, the trade turnover increased by 16 percent compared to of 2016,” he added.

Earlier, according to the minister, the Azerbaijani company received permission to manufacture construction materials in Iran.

Mustafayev further reminded that presently, Iran is implementing two projects in Azerbaijan - the production of cars and medicines.

Political and economic relations between the two countries have significantly improved in recent years as the two sides have made serious efforts to boost cooperation. Such spheres as agriculture, banking sector, pharmaceutics, as well as cooperation within the international North-South transport corridor are the main areas of focus.

Over the past four years the two countries have held 10 high-level meetings, paid more than 100 reciprocal visits of different delegations, and held 11 meetings of the Azerbaijan-Iran State Commission on economic, trade and humanitarian areas.

According to the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan, the trade turnover with Iran in 2017 amounted to $257.1 million, 27.4 percent more than in 2016. In 2017, the export of Azerbaijani products to Iran amounted to $16.8 million. T he joint commission of Iran and Azerbaijan for economic cooperation has wrapped up its two-day talks for expansion of cooperation in Tehran.