Baku, Azerbaijan, March 17
By Temkin Jafarov - Trend:
Talks on development of economic cooperation will be held during Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev's visit to Iran, according to Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister for Asia-Pacific Affairs and Special Envoy on Caspian Affairs, Ebrahim Rahimpour.
Rahimpour made the remarks during the inspection of a new bridge at the Julfa border checkpoint on March 17, Iranian Fars news agency reported.
He said the location of Iran's free economic area 'Araz' on the border with Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic creates a great potential for development of trade relations between Azerbaijan and Iran.
"Increasing economic activity in the border areas is very important and Iran's Foreign Ministry will lend its support to the development of economic activity and investing in Iran's free economic area 'Araz'," he said.
During the President Ilham Aliyev's visit, Iran will present its proposals necessary for joint investments in the Araz free economic area and increasing economic activity in this area, according to Rahimpour.
Araz free economic area was established nine years ago in Julfa on the Iranian and Azerbaijani border and covers 53,000 hectares.
The area starts from the town of Julfa (Iran) and stretches to the Khudaferin, Jananlu and Gulubeyli villages in Azerbaijan.
Iranian wants to jointly organize this area with Azerbaijan. This issue has been repeatedly discussed by officials of the two countries.
Translated by E.A.
Edited by C.N.