Azerbaijan , Baku, Feb. 23 / Trend, A.Yusifzade /
Iranian Commerce Minister Mehdi Ghazanfari and President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov discussed expansion of economic and commercial ties between the two neighbors, Iran Daily web site reported.
The two sides also called for accelerating the establishment of Iran-Turkmenistan-Kazakhstan railroad, Moj News Agency reported.
Expansion of joint border markets, goods transit and transit agreement among Iran, Oman, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan were also discussed by the two sides.
Top Trade Partner
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony in Ashkhabad, Ghazanfari said Iran has become the top trade partner of Turkmenistan.
He put bilateral trade at $3.4 billion in 2009, predicting that the figure would rise, ISNA wrote.
"Currently, Iran and Turkmenistan have good potentials and facilities in terms of road and railroad transportation," he said.
Pointing to different linking routes, Ghazanfari said Iran and Turkmenistan have marine transportation potential through Caspian Sea as well as the possibility of linking up via railroads.
"When the railroad project involving Iran, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan becomes operational, cargo transportation will reach 10 million tons in the first stage and then rise to 15 million tons annually," he said.
"Once other phases of the project are complete, the railroad can transit 20 million tons of cargo annually."
Broader Ties
With the participation of Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Oman and Qatar, regional transit ties will expand from Persian Gulf to Central Asia and help build infrastructures for increasing trade.
Currently, Iran exports non-oil commodities worth over $25 billion, including industrial and petrochemical products, construction materials, minerals, steel, sanitary products, medicines, handicrafts, foodstuff, textiles, buses and trucks.
He said holding special exhibitions and participating in international fairs would help activate trade cooperation between the two nations.
Nearly 60 Iranian companies participated in the exhibition, which was inaugurated on Monday and will run until February 23 in Ashkhabad, said Mohammad Seyyedi, the head of Iran's International Fairs Association.
"The companies are from various provinces, including Khorasan Razavi, North Khorasan, South Khorasan, Alborz, West Azerbaijan, Tehran, Khuzestan, Golestan and Bushehr," he said.
The companies have showcased their products in the fields of construction materials, home appliances, food, machineries, detergents, heating and cooling systems and pipes.
Last year, 43 companies took part in the event.
Enhanced Efforts
After the Soviet disintegration and independence of Central Asian republics, Iran has built political and economic ties with Central Asian states.
Lying on some of the world's biggest oil, gas and metals reserves, Central Asia is at the center of a geopolitical tug-of-war among Russia, China and the West, all seeking to grab a share of its untapped riches.
Iran has recently enhanced efforts to boost political, economic, energy and cultural ties and cooperation with the regional and neighboring countries, especially those in the Central Asia.
Iran and Turkmenistan have recently boosted exports and strengthened economic ties. They have held different exhibitions in either country.
In late January, Turkmenistan's exclusive exhibition was held in the northeastern Iranian city of Mashhad, Khorasan Razavi province.
Turkmenistan's Consul-General in Mashhad Tuga Lagov underlined the key role of exclusive trade exhibitions in further enhancing ties between Tehran and Ashkhabad.
"Trade expos are a very important factor in the development of Iran-Turkmenistan ties," Tuga Lagov told Fars News Agency on the sidelines of the closing ceremony of a Turkmen exhibition in Mashhad.
"Given the history of political, cultural, economic and social ties between Iran and Turkmenistan, the exhibition would be a key factor in promoting the quantity and quality of bilateral ties."
Holding such exhibitions at a higher level is a key factor for expanding Iran-Turkmenistan relations.
Good Opportunity
Earlier, Turkmen Ambassador in Tehran Ahmad Qorbanov said Iran enjoys the highest volume of trade exchanges with Turkmenistan due to the two countries' good relations and several commonalities.
In a ceremony attended by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in January 2010, Iran and Turkmenistan inaugurated the second gas pipeline to transfer gas supplies from Turkmenistan to Iran.
The pipeline, which passes through Dauletabad, Sarakhs and Khangiran regions, will help boost Turkmenistan's gas exports to Iran to 20 billion cubic meters annually.
Korpedze-Kordkoy pipeline is another gas pipeline already being used for transferring Turkmen gas to Iran.
Ghazanfari re-invited Berdymukhamedov to attend the International Norouz Festival to be held in Iran in March, Moj News Agency reported.
Iran and Turkmenistan are aware of their numerous potentials and determined to capitalize them by expanding cooperation.
Much of Iran's exports to Turkmenistan consist of foodstuffs, healthcare equipment, automobiles, and advanced technological goods. Hydrocarbons also extensively factor into bilateral economic interaction
