Wednesday, 8 December 2004
Today, at the Office of Government, RA Minister for Coordination of Territorial Administration and Industrial Infrastructure Operations Mr. Hovik Abrahamyan has received Mr. Seyed Javad Negarandeh, Governor of Ardabil Province of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
While satisfied with the current status of the Armenian-Iranian relationship, the parties have pointed out to the need in furthering direct exchanges between different administrative units of the two countries. In particular, Mr. Hovik Abrahamyan emphasized the establishment of closer ties of cooperation between Ardabil province of Iran and Syunik marz, 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.
