Iran urges establishment of preferential tariff system with Turkey

Ankara, April 28, IRNA -- Iran's Commerce Minister Masoud Mir-Kazemi said Monday evening that Iran and Turkey should make serious efforts to establish preferential tariff system.

He made the remarks in a meeting with Turkish Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Nazim Ekren prior to his departure from Ankara.

He stressed that the system would further develop the two countries’ trade and commercial affairs.

The Iranian minister referred to banking relations between the two countries as important.

Pointing to agreements on support for joint investment and refraining from double taxation inked by the two sides, he expressed hope that several other agreements would be signed so that Tehran-Ankara economic and trade cooperation would witness dramatic boost in the near future.

As to the world economic crisis, Mir-Kazemi called for further convergence among regional states to make an appropriate opportunity for expansion of regional cooperation.

He suggested both Iran and Turkey to make joint investment and implement joint projects in Central Asia and the Caucasus.

For his part, Ekren referred to the Islamic Republic as one of Turkey's major partners in the region, he called for further expansion of economic relations between the two neighboring states.

Tehran and Ankara should make use of all the existing opportunities to further boost economic ties, he reiterated.

Mir-Kazemi heading a 170-member delegation arrived in Ankara early Monday to discuss with Turkish officials on ways to develop trade.

Trade between the two countries currently stands at dlrs 10 billion a year. The Iranian and Turkish senior officials are planning in Ankara to enhance it to dlrs 20 billion.