Iran-Syria Explore Ways Of Promoting Bilateral Economic Co-op

Tehran, May 2, IRNA - Deputy Minister of Economy and Finance Behrouz Alishiri on Tuesday underlined the need for economic cooperation among Iran, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon and establishment of a joint free trade zone in the region. He made the remarks in a meeting with his visiting Syrian counterpart Maha Raslan in Tehran. Alishiri, who is also head of the Organization for Investment, Economic and Technical Assistance, said establishment of such free trade zones can boost economic and trade cooperation among the four countries. Alishiri described signing of agreements on free trade and preferential tariffs between Iran and Syria as a suitable base for economic and trade cooperation between the two sides' private sectors. He also proposed establishing a committee on joint investments, providing technical assistance, holding professional workshops on foreign investment and privatization in order to lay the foundation of enhanced economic cooperation. Raslan welcomed the proposals by her Iranian counterpart and expressed hope the two countries' mutual economic cooperation would keep pace with the existing mutual political cooperation. She expressed her country's readiness to host a permanent Iranian trade exhibition in Syria to introduce Iranian goods to Syrians./end