TEHRAN (Iran News) – Head of Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mine and Agriculture (ICCIMA) Mr. Gholam-Hossein Shafei met visiting Head of Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs of Kyrgyzstan Mr. Danil Ibrayev and during the meeting both sides called for reinforcing the rail route of south to north from Bandar Abbas to Sarakhs and to the EAEU states.
In the meeting, Mr. Ibrayev raised to proposals in line with developing the level of ties between Iran and Kyrgyzstan: monthly specialized talks and meeting in the fields that both countries have good capacities for bilateral ties and also the support of the ICCIMA from reinforcing the rail route from Bandar Abbas to Sarakhs and transit of goods from India, China and the Persian Gulf states to Kyrgyzstan and other regional states and vice versa.
The both sides in the meeting also raised and emphasized defining an integrated mechanism in the field of trade between Iran and Kyrgyzstan.
Ibrayev added that specialized videoconferences between economic activists of the two countries in those fields that there are good capacities for bilateral cooperation. He went on to say that the monthly meetings will have positive effects on boosting the bilateral relations, adding that the two sides agreed to hold the first meeting in the upcoming months.
He then pointed to the restrictions for transfer of money for trade with Iran and called it a serious hurdle for boosting bilateral trade and stated that businessmen of both countries have found the ways for restoring ties and called for defining a unified mechanism accepted by the two sides.
Ibrayev went on to say that the other problem overshadowing the trade relation between Iran and Kyrgyzstan is in the field of transportation, adding that during Kyrgyz President’s visit to Turkmenistan some problems for the transit of goods have been resolved and called for reinforcing railway route of Bandar Abbas to Sarakhs in Iran.
He said by improving this rail route, the level of transit of goods from the south to the northern countries like Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and other countries will increase. He added that by the assistance of this route, goods from China, India, Persian Gulf states and Iran can be transported to the EAEU states.
He also called for signing the agreements in the field of free and preferential trade between the two states and asked Mr. Shafei to express his opinion regarding the types of goods and tariffs.
Meanwhile in the meeting and regarding the problems in the banking field, Shafei raised the idea of using bartering trade and announced the beginning of the process for launching the Iran-Kyrgyzstan Commercial Council in the ICCIMA, and said the need for launching this joint council was badly felt and in this line some actions have been taken and expressed hope they would bear fruit very soon.
He also pointed to the trade and production capacities in Kyrgyzstan and said strong and stable laws in Kyrgyzstan in line with strengthening the private sector, support of foreign investment and moving towards free elections are of the main factors for alluring investment.
Shafei also noted that a large number of Iranians have invested in the major free zones of Kyrgyzstan and called for easing the trend for joint cooperation between the two states. He added that both countries can have good cooperation in the agro products, tourism and energy sector.
He also pointed to the Iran-Kyrgyzstan passenger plane crash and the halt in the activities of the airlines and said the halt has had negative impact on the bilateral trade and expressed hope the direct flight between the two states would restore soon as it will boost the bilateral trade relation.
