Wednesday, 6 July 2005
Today, at the Office of Government, RA Prime Minister A. Margaryan has received Mr. Ebrahim Derazgisou, Governor of Hormozgan Province of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
In congratulating the guest on the successful completion of latest presidential elections in Iran and President-elect Mahmoud Ahmadinezhad in person, Mr. A. Margaryan expressed the hope that the Armenian-Iranian relationship would continue developing with as much success. In particular, both sides have emphasized the role of reciprocal visits paid at various levels for the promotion of bilateral and multilateral cooperation by mentioning that this was important to the whole region. The head of the Armenian government said to be confident that Iran would carry on the balanced approach in its dealings with the countries of South Caucasus and added that it constituted an important element of peace and stability in the region.
With reference to bilateral relations, the interlocutors said to be pleased with the latest positive developments in this area, including the increased level of bilateral trade. They emphasized the consolidated efforts towards the construction of Iran-Armenia gas pipeline and jointly conceived HPPs on Arax River, the engineering of a third double-circuit electricity transmission line. Mr. A. Margaryan and Mr. Ebrahim Derazgisou stressed with satisfaction the activated collaboration between different administrative units of the two countries, involving Syunik, Ararat, Armavir marzes on the Armenian side and Eastern and Western Aterpatakan, Ardebil and Mazandaran provinces of Iran. The talks held during this visit had resulted in the signing of a cooperation agreement between Hormozgan Province and Ararat marz to lay the basis for a long-term interactivity.
In stating the current economic status and the prospects for future development of the province under his authority, Mr. Ebrahim Derazgisou noted that in view of remarkable seaborne and transportation capacity of his region, as well as the availability of special and free economic zones, he saw good prospects for the feasibility of mutually beneficial cooperation not only with Ararat marz, but also with the rest of Armenia in the fields of agriculture, transport, tourism, foreign investment promotion, culture and so on, especially as considering that the Armenian community of Iran, which was playing a key role in political and economic life of the host country, could be a great way to the development of these ties.
Satisfied with the outcome of the talks and the cooperative links established between Hormozgan Province and Ararat marz, Prime Minister A. Margaryan re-assured his guest that the government of Armenia was prepared to extend any possible assistance with the implementation of the foregoing programs.
The development of which is of strategic importance to the Republic of Armenia. The exchange and testing of crops, seeds and saplings produced in Ardabil province and Armenia, the transfer of the Iranian know-how in potato processing, the import of fertilizers, water-pipes were mentioned among several fields of mutual interest.
Appreciative of the recent activation of collaboration between Syunik marz administration and RA Ministry of Agriculture on one side, and Ardabil province on the other, and satisfied with the understandings reached during the present talks, Mr. Seyed Negarandeh suggested setting up a joint office under the chambers of commerce and industry of the two countries in order to coordinate the work with the RA Ministry of Agriculture, as well as to streamline the activities envisaged under relevant programs of cooperation. In prioritizing the establishment of ever closer ties between the private sectors on both sides, he stressed the availability of a large number of Iranian businessmen in the current delegation whose direct contacts with their Armenian counterparts were going to produce the expected results in the near future.
Welcoming Mr. Negarandeh's proposal on the setting up of a joint coordinating office under the chambers of commerce and industry, minister Hovik Abrahamyan stated that the Armenian government was prepared to assist the Ardabil administration in its efforts towards the implementation of programs of mutual interest with our country.
