“Joint events are about to be implemented for investment and trade in the free zones of Aras and Meghri”, the Minister of Energy said at the 16th session of Iran-Armenia Joint Economic Commission.
According to the Public Relations and International Affairs of the Aras Free Zone Organization, the 16th session of Iran-Armenia Joint Economic Commission concluded.
At this meeting, the Iran-Armenia economic and trade agreement was signed by Reza Ardakaniyan, the Minister of Energy of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and Mehr Grigorian, Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia.
Discussing the establishment of free trade zones on the border between the two countries, the Minister of Energy stated that the two sides emphasized that they would create joint events for investment and trade in their free zones and utilize significant tourism capacity in the cultural, health and treatment areas in the free zones of Iran as well as tourism capacities in Armenia.
According to Reza Ardakanian, the position of Iran and Armenia as countries with a common land border is important compared to other countries of the European Economic Community. He added, in view of that, Aras Free Trade Zone of Industrial announced its readiness to hold an international seminar to examine Iran-Eurasia cooperation capacities with the participation of the Eurasian member states (Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia and the Islamic Republic of Iran) in Aras Free Trade Zone.
Speaking about the details of this memorandum, and pointing out to the exchange of electric power with a capacity of 350 megawatts between the two countries, the minister of energy said: " In this context, the third line is in progress, and it was agreed at this meeting that by the end of 2020, the third line will be put into operation". He added: "The capacity of the third line will be 700 megawatts, and as a result, the capacity of the exchange between the two countries will exceed 1,000 megawatts".
"At the meeting, an agreement was reached on the construction of a 100-megawatt hydroelectric power plant in Armenia. This power plant will be purchased by the private sector in Armenia and other countries interested in constructing and producing electricity at a rate guaranteed by the Islamic Republic of Iran". The minister said.
Iranian President of the Joint Commission on Economic Cooperation and Trade of the two countries further added: "It was also agreed that quartet talks would continue at the level of deputy ministers between Iran, Armenia, Georgia and Russia under the name of North-South Corridor for electrical connection".
Ardakaniyan stated that Iran is currently exporting gas to Armenia and importing electricity at times .He later said: " Iran's capacity to transport gas to Armenia can be increased and it was agreed at the meeting that multilateral negotiations between the responsible authorities in both countries should be made to rise gas exports and trading off gas for electricity and goods needed by the Islamic Republic of Iran."
The minister added that in the water and environment section, taking into account the Aras border frontier and the common areas of cooperation between the two countries, it was agreed that Armenian colleagues take the necessary action in the field of water quality control upstream and with regard to drinking and farming downstream as soon as possible.
""It was also agreed that the two countries will work together to create specially protected border areas, sharing their experiences for maintaining biodiversity and reproduction of endangered species in the natural environment," he said.
The Iranian head of the Joint Commission on Economic Cooperation of the two countries, saying that it was agreed to form a joint working group in the industry, mining and trade sectors and hold meetings every six months in two countries, It was decided to hold joint business conferences in the framework of the Eurasian Economic Agreement, conducting and sorting peer to peer exchanges, and exchanging necessary lists and publishing it within three months.
Ardakaniyan continued: Iran's Geological and mineral exploration organization and the Earth Sciences Institute agreed with the Institute of Geology of the Academy of Sciences in Armenia to conduct international research projects in different sectors.
The minister of power added: in the Customs Department, the installation of electronic information exchange systems and other activities was emphasized in the framework of what was previously agreed, as well as the chambers of commerce of the two countries in different parts of their activities, they took joint decisions that the progress report will be presented before the next meeting.
The Iranian official said that in the context of the standard, the provisions of the Memorandum of Understanding on Standardization and other previously signed activities were emphasized and implementation plans were presented for its operation.
The minister of power continued: “the two sides agreed upon the formation of joint road transportation committee of the two countries with representatives of the insurance agencies in Tehran as soon as possible, and various sections related to the removal or reduction of various road factors, the facilitation and prospect of transportation, and other issues would be considered.
Regarding emergency management and crisis management, the two sides saw eye to eye to provide necessary mechanisms for the joint actions, in particular on trans boundary emergency situations and to hold joint training courses; as well as in order for exchanging experiences, both sides settled to deal delegations between the Ministry of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Ministry of Emergency and the rescue service of Armenia.
Ardakaniyan noted that appropriate arrangements were made in the field of health, culture, sports and youth, documentations and national library, nanotechnology, research and technology, agriculture, and provincial specially boundary cooperation.