Central Asian states, Iran ink transit coop. statement

Tehran, IRNA – Representatives from Iran and Central Asian countries plus Russia have signed a joint statement following the first transit cooperation conference. Following two days of discussions, the representatives from Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Russia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Iran signed a statement on Sunday with the aim of developing transit cooperation. Iran’s Minister of Road and Urban Development Rostam Ghasemi said after the signing ceremony that the conference was proposed by the Islamic Republic of Iran, because transit is determining issue given the situation of the region. The conference will be held every six months, he said, noting that ministers and other representatives of the participating countries have adopted constructive decisions in order to promote coordination and collaboration in terms of transit and transport. According to the Iranian minister, the member states of the conference underlined the need for development of transit, unification of tariffs, and issuance of one-year visas for drivers active in transit operation. Answering a question made by IRNA correspondent, Ghasemi pointed to the time of the implementation of the joint statement and its details, saying that transit of commodities is of great importance for the Raisi administration. He went on to say that Iran is determined to facilitate transit of goods with states, with whom we had not been connected in recent years. The goal will be pursued to be implemented from today, he said, adding that the transit capacity has already increased due to joint measures of regional states. Follow us on Twitter @IrnaEnglish