Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 2
By Umid Niayesh - Trend:
Iran to start new round of regional diplomatic initiatives in coming days, Tehran's envoy to Baku, Mohsen Pak Ayeen said.
"In coming days we will witness more intensified regional diplomacy of Iran, as trilateral meetings are on the agenda," Pak Ayeen told Trend April 2.
Foreign ministers of Azerbaijan, Turkey and Iran will meet in the Iranian city of Ramsar, he said, adding foreign ministers of Azerbaijan, Russia and Iran will also meet in Baku April 7.
Deputy foreign ministers of the Caspian Sea littoral states are scheduled to hold a meeting in Baku as well, the Iranian diplomat said.
Pak Ayeen further said that the upcoming meetings indicates the regional countries' determination for boosting multilateral cooperation.
The Ramsar meeting which is scheduled for April 5 is an important step for cooperation in cargo transportation, boosting trade ties and fighting against international terrorism, the Iranian envoy said.
Previous meetings of the three countries' foreign ministers were held in Iran's Urmia and Azerbaijan's Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic.
While commenting on the upcoming meeting of Azerbaijan, Russia and Iran foreign ministers, Pak Ayeen said that it is first time that such meeting will be held.
The initiation indicates the three countries' will to find new grounds for cooperation in various sectors in particular in the fields of transit, trade and energy, he said.
The upcoming meeting also indicates the countries' will to contribute to maintaining peace and stability in the region, according to the Iranian diplomat.
Earlier, Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry's spokesman Hikmet Hajiyev told Trend that the three countries' foreign ministers will discuss the implementation of bilateral and trilateral projects, including the North-South transportation corridor project and other issues of mutual interest.
Pak Ayeen further touched upon the upcoming meeting of the Caspian Sea's littoral sates- Turkmenistan, Russia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Iran-, saying the issue of the sea's legal regime will be discussed in the meeting.
He expressed hope that the continuation of these consultations will lead to further agreements to safeguard the interests of the Caspian Sea's littoral countries.
Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister for Asia-Pacific Affairs Ebrahim Rahimpour will participate in the meeting, Pak Ayeen said.
He underlined that Iran, Russia, Turkey and Azerbaijan have decisive role in regional and international issues and safeguarding security and stability.
Holding trilateral meetings aimed at strengthening cooperation in the fields of transport, energy, trade and regional security is a major diplomatic initiative, the envoy said.
Iran enjoys growing ties with Azerbaijan, Russia and Turkey, Pak Ayeen said, adding And convergence between Iran, Russia, Turkey and Azerbaijan can increase the international and regional role of the four countries.
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