Iran,Kazakhstan expand economic cooperation

/By Azernews/

By Fatma Babayeva

Kazakhstan and Iran have signed a number of agreements covering various fields following the meeting of Kazakhstan-Iran Business Council held in Tehran in April 10 which coincided with President Nursultan Nazarbayev’s visit to Iran.

The sides agreed on a number of issues covering metallurgy and mining industries, railway communication, agricultural sector, tourism and so on.

The two countries inked export contracts about providing agricultural and engineering products to Iran. They also had a deal on joint implementation of the chemical and petrochemical projects.

The Investment Fund of Kazakhstan and Iran's Kaveh Glass Industry Group signed an agreement on sodium carbonate production plant in Kazakhstan's Kyzylorda province. The cost of this project amounts to $200 million.

Kazakh company Alageum Electric and Iranian Niroo Nransfo Co inked an agreement for supplying transformers and transformer oils to Iran.

Iran’s power and water equipment and services export company SUNIR signed a contract with Kazakhstan’s Eurasia Invest Group on the construction of a solar power plant with the capacity of 50 megawatts in Kazakhstan’s Almaty city.

Moreover, Kazakh company Topan agreed with Iranian Electro Kavir Co. to create a joint venture in Iran's territory for further supply of technological and commercial accounting systems for hydrocarbons.

Agricultural sector was among the discussed cooperation areas. The parties have signed a package of agreements on the import and export of agricultural products.

A number of Kazakh companies have agreed to export meat and grain products to Iran.

Furthermore, Iranian companies intend to invest $30 million in Kazakhstan's geological exploration, the Kazakh Ministry for Investments and Development reported on April 11.

The parties intend to implement joint projects on solid mineral searching in the promising areas, their evaluation and attracting investments in Kazakhstan.

Iranian companies are interested in big iron ore, polymetallic and copper deposits, the ministry said.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said that during the meeting with Kazakh counterpart Nursultan Nazarbayev various issues were discussed such as strengthening cooperation in trade and investment, agriculture, transit and transport spheres, as well as, international and regional security.

Rouhani described the signed documents as a turning point in ties between two countries, Iran's IRINN TV channel reported.

The Iranian president also said that issues related to the Caspian Sea such as environmental issues, maritime transport and particularly the status of the Caspian Sea status were discussed during the meeting on April 11.

Kazakhstan and Iran are two coastal states located at the opposite sides of the Caspian Sea, and their deepening cooperation is believed to enhance regional security, improve navigation and environmental protection of the sea, and maybe accelerate the issue about resolving the delimitation of the Caspian Sea in future.

President Nazarbayev also met with Iranian spiritual leader Ali Khamenei and discussed ways to further strengthen cooperation between the two countries, especially combating terrorism and extremism activities.

President Nazarbayev described Iran as a great, powerful and reliable neighbor, and said, 'The two countries have many capacities for the expansion of relations and we reach agreements on important economic and trade programs which will result in the expansion of mutual cooperation.'

The Kazakh president also pointed to Ayatollah Khamenei's call for unity in the Muslim world, saying Islam is the religion of progress, unity and fight on terrorism.