Ahmadinejad makes proposals to strengthen ECO

TEHRAN, Dec. 25 (MNA) -- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad made six proposals for the promotion of regional cooperation in order to reduce the negative effects of the global economic crisis on Economic Cooperation Organization countries.

“In the current situation, in which global systems are in decline, the importance of regional cooperation has drastically increased,” Ahmadinejad said at the 11th ECO Summit in Istanbul on Thursday.

“We can rely on our great natural resources, our nations’ brilliant talents, and the past experiences of ECO to make great strides in the expansion of ties in the areas of commerce, banking, tourism, transportation, energy, agriculture, and industry, and in the campaigns against drug trafficking and terrorism,” he added.

Ahmadinejad then made the following six proposals:

(1) A group of the member countries’ intellectuals should draft principles and theories for the management of societies’ affairs and (to create) a lofty model of an economic system.

(2) An appropriate mechanism for the exchange of experiences in dealing with economic and social crises should be developed and established at the ECO secretariat.

(3) Measures should be taken to strengthen the ECO Trade and Development Bank.

(4) A proper mechanism should be defined for the use of national currencies in financial transactions between the member countries.

(5) The rail and road networks connecting the member countries should be completed.

(6) The expansion and completion of energy networks should be put on the agenda.