BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 19. The current trade
turnover between Turkmenistan and Iran is not at a satisfactory
level, and both sides must find solutions to boost economic
relations, said Rashid Meredov, Turkmenistan’s Minister of Foreign
Affairs, Trend
reports.
Speaking at the 18th session of the Iran-Turkmenistan Joint
Economic Cooperation Commission today in Tehran, Meredov noted that
trade turnover between the two countries amounted to about $461
million last year, reflecting only a 1 percent increase from the
previous year.
He stressed the importance of cooking up new ways to grease the
wheels of economic cooperation and tackle the old skeletons in the
closet that are holding back cross-border trade.
“Although a joint border market is operational and citizens from
both countries are already engaging in trade there, Iran has
proposed establishing a border market either on the Caspian Sea or
in the Bojnurd region, and this proposal has been positively
received,” he said.
The Turkmen minister also mentioned that a special economic zone
is currently active in Iran’s Sarakhs region and suggested the
creation of a Sarakhs–Sarakhs joint trade zone at the border. He
noted that both countries have agreed on this initiative and plan
to implement mutual simplifications.
“It is even possible to carry out joint production within this
zone. I propose using national currencies in the trade zone.
Turkmenistan has already started this practice with other
neighbors, including Uzbekistan,” Meredov added.
To note, the four-day 18th session of the Iran-Turkmenistan
Joint Economic Cooperation Commission began on May 17 in Tehran.
The session is co-chaired by Iran’s Minister of Roads and Urban
Development Farzaneh Sadegh and Turkmenistan’s Minister of Foreign
Affairs Rashid Meredov.
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