Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 18
By Fatih Karimov - Trend:
Azerbaijan's neighboring Iranian province is keen to boost trade turnover with Baku.
More cooperation between Baku and Iran's northwestern Ardabil Province bordering Azerbaijan is needed, Iran's Ambassador to Azerbaijan Mohsen Pak Ayeen told Trend August 18.
"Considering capabilities available in Ardabil, the province is able to share the highest level among Iranian provinces in term of exporting goods to the Republic of Azerbaijan."
Pak Ayeen stressed that further development of economic ties between Ardabil and Azerbaijan is among the Embassy's priorities and urged Azerbaijani media representatives to travel to the province to better expose opportunities available there.
Speaking about plans to ensure all day activity in the custom offices, Pak Ayeen said that the two sides had agreed on the issue in principle and the plan will be implemented after proper equipment is installed and a labor force is placed in the four acting custom checkpoints, the report adds.
The Iranian ambassador also pointed out problems with the travel of Iranian citizens to Azerbaijan: "We asked the Azerbaijani Embassy to Tehran and the Consulate-General in Tabriz to facilitate with the issue of visas for Iranian traders," he stressed.
According to the report, the top Iranian diplomat described the establishment of a joint trade chamber between the two countries as a necessary step to accelerate bilateral trade. He also expressed his hope that the draft MOU text submitted by the Iranian side in this regard would be approved during the coming ninth session of the Joint Commission on Cooperation, the report adds.
Data released by Iran's Customs Organizations shows that the volume of exports via the Ardabil Province has declined by 8.9 percent in the first quarter of the current Iranian year compared with the same period of last year. However, there was a 15.7 million dollars increase in the value of the exported goods, the figures suggest.
Edited by CN