Azerbaijan, Iran discuss oil and gas cooperation

The 5th meeting of the Azeri-Iranian intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation opens in Baku on Tuesday. The sides are to discuss cooperation in the sphere of oil and gas prospecting, production, transportation and sale, said Azeri Minister of Economy, co-chairman of the commission Farkhad Aliyev. According to Iranian co-chairman, Minister for Cooperation Ali Sufi, the commission will not discuss the status of the Caspian Sea.

Some 20 items of the expansion of cooperation in different economic spheres and infrastructure development are on the meeting's agenda, Farkhad Aliyev said. For instance, the sides are to discuss measures on building and reconstruction of gas pipelines and construction of power transmission lines, linking border regions, and automobile and foot bridges on the Azeri-Iranian border.

In addition, the commission is to take a decision of the restoration of railway communications between Azerbaijan and Iran, the construction of a hydro-electric power station in the Nakhichevan autonomous republic (Azerbaijan), the establishment of joint production of mini-vans and motor-cars in Azerbaijan and the reduction of customs tariffs for trucks.

The meeting of the commission will close on October 30.