Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept.29
By Temkin Jafarov, Emil Ismayilov - Trend:
Azerbaijan and Iran will discuss the issue of switching to round-the-clock work mode of two customs checkpoints of the two countries, Iranian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Mohsen Pak Ayeen told Trend.
Agreement of switching the Bilasuvar border check point to round-the-clock mode was reached in August as part of the joint intergovernmental commission.
Pak Ayeen also said that a delegation from Iran, led by the head of the Customs Service of the country Massoud Karbasian, will arrive in Azerbaijan.
The ambassador said that on Sept. 30 Karbasian is scheduled to meet with with the head of the State Customs Committee (SCC) Aydin Aliyev, Minister of Economy and Industry Shahin Mustafayev, Minister of Emergency Situations Kamaladdin Heydarov.
The visit of the Iranian delegation to Azerbaijan will last until October 2, he said.
"The visit will focus on solving the customs issues between the parties, increasing the number of customs exemptions, organization of the round-the-clock work of customs checkpoints in Astara and Bilasuvar by providing them with the necessary equipment and personnel," said Pak Ayeen.
The heads of customs services of the two countries will visit the customs checkpoints in Astara and Bilasuvar during the visit of the Iranian delegation, the diplomat said.
Azerbaijan and Iran have already agreed to sign a new agreement in the customs area - the last agreement on cooperation in customs area between the two countries was signed in 2002.
Azerbaijan and Iran are also considering the possibility of using a single information system within the framework of customs operations. This will lead to the fact that all the documentation or declarations adopted by Azerbaijani customs will be recognized by the Iranian side, and vice versa, which will greatly simplify the transportations between the two countries.
There are 4 border crossing points on the Iranian-Azerbaijani border - Bilasuvar, Shakhtakhti-Poldesht, Astara and Julfa. Azerbaijan and Iran also agreed to open the 5th Aslandyuz-Goradiz border checkpoint.
