(PanARMENIAN.Net)–The 6th session of the Armenian-Iranian Interparliamentary Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation (ICTEC) began Tuesday in Tehran. The session–which is headed by Iranian Minister of Economy and Finance Davoud Danesh-Jaafari and Armenia’s Chief of Presidential Staff Artashes Tumanian–will end with the signing of an agreement on bilateral trade and economic cooperation between the two countries.
In his opening remarks–Danesh-Jaafari noted Iran’s interest in the development of bilateral relations with Armenia and stated that Iran is ready to fulfill all its previous agreemen’s on cooperation. He said that Iran wants to complete the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline as soon as possible and hopes that the pipeline can be put into use by January 2007.
Danesh-Jaafari also said that both Tehran and Yerevan would like to begin work on several new projects–including building a second Iran-Armenia gas pipeline–an electric power substation for the delivery of Armenian energy to Iran–and a border transport terminal in Nurduz. These projects are to be implemented by the joint effort of both Armenian and Iranian companies.
Danesh-Jaafari noted that Iran and Armenia have already signed a number of agreemen’s–laying the foundation for bilateral trade and economic relations. He singled out agreemen’s on mutual investmen’s–cancellation of double taxation–customs and trade cooperation–international vehicle and air transportation. He said that the parties should also develop cooperation in the financial and banking fields.
Artashes Tumanian spoke about the progress of bilateral cooperation in gas–energy–transport and legal fields. According to him–the Iranian companies are rapidly building communication lines on Armenian territory. He said that customs procedures should be simplified in order to ease cargo transportation between the two states.