Iran, Turkey open new border crossing

URMIA, West Azerbaijan Prov., April 18 (MNA) -- Iran and Turkey opened a new border crossing during a ceremony held in Urmia on Saturday.

The Razi-Kapikoy border crossing is the third border crossing between Iran and Turkey, connecting Iran’s West Azerbaijan Province and Turkey’s Van Province.

Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov attended the opening ceremony, which was held on the sidelines of their trilateral meeting.

The Turkish foreign minister delivered a speech during the ceremony, in which he said that the opening of the third border crossing between Iran and Turkey will mark a turning point in the relations between the two countries.

“Today (Saturday) the border crossing will be opened for the traffic of passengers and light vehicles, and will be ready for the passage of heavy vehicles on September 11,” Davutoglu stated.

Strengthening ties with neighboring states in all areas has been a foreign policy priority of Turkey over the past eight years, he added.

Davutoglu also stated that the volume of trade between Iran and Turkey is currently $10 billion and will reach $30 billion in the near future given the fact that a new border crossing has been opened between the two countries.

The Iranian foreign minister also delivered a speech at the ceremony, in which he said that the inauguration of the Razi-Kapikoy border crossing will help increase cooperation between Iran and Turkey.

Tehran and Ankara should make every effort to strengthen their relations, Salehi added.