The President said that the ECO region should be one of the target areas for peace, sustainable development and public welfare, and create justice and spirituality in relation to the countries of the world.
According to ISNA, Ayatollah Seyyed Ibrahim Ra’isi stated at the 15th Summit of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) referring to the plans and goals of the Islamic Republic for the development of this organization : In terms of seriousness in trade, we are ready to play a greater role in promoting foreign trade in economic liberalization in member countries. Both in the form of agreements and free trade.
He added: “Also in the field of creating a complementary transportation network, we believe that the trade potentials in this field are such that sooner or later the corridors of the ECO region should be reopened.
Referring to other programs of the Islamic Republic for ECO, Raisi said: “The Islamic Republic is ready to develop oil and gas training programs and we are also interested in water transfer projects to applicant countries, including the Islamic Republic of Iran, on the agenda of ECO.” Takes.
The President emphasized: “There is also a readiness from the Islamic Republic to help this organization to hold meetings on cyber security and virtual education.
Referring to US sanctions against Iran, he said: “The Islamic Republic’s support for ECO is unconditional and US sanctions will not cause the slightest disruption in Iran’s cooperation with the region and neighboring countries.”
“The United States has shown that its interests are incompatible with the collective interests of our regions by withdrawing from the UN Security Council and imposing unilateral sanctions and imposing a policy of maximum oppression,” Reisi said.
The full text of the President’s speech is as follows:
In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the worlds, and to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and to the Prophet Muhammad and his family.
and the companions of the respondents
Dear brother of Mr. Ghorbanqoli Berdi Mohammadov,
Honorable President of Turkmenistan
First of all, I would like to congratulate His Excellency’s presidency on the 15th ECO Summit and thank the government and honorable people of the friendly and brotherly country of Turkmenistan for hosting this summit and for their generous hospitality. I would also like to thank the Secretary General and his colleagues at the ECO Secretariat in Tehran for preparing for this important regional gathering. Thank you very much for the efforts of the chairman of the previous summit, dear brother Mr. Erdogan.
I also take this opportunity to celebrate November 28, ECO Day, and the 30th anniversary of the independence of Central Asia and the Caucasus.
Mr. President, Honorable Presidents, Honorable Prime Ministers,
Your Excellency, Ladies and Gentlemen,
The present age is the age of Asia; Asia is a region of rich civilization, culture and values, and the cradle of the greatest monotheistic religions, and many leading principles and rules in the international arena, such as peace, justice, mutual respect, rationality, benevolent governance, adherence to alliances, treaties and treaties. With its neighbors, it originated from this civilization-building zone.
The Islamic Republic of Iran gives special priority to cooperation and economic partnership with Asian countries, especially its neighbors in South Asia, West Asia, Central Asia and the Caucasus. I have also put the policy of “maximum interaction” with our neighbors on the agenda of my government. Undoubtedly, strengthening the role and position of regional organizations as facilitators of bilateral and multilateral cooperation is our concern; One of the obvious manifestations of which is the ECO.
In addition to enjoying the material features of power, such as a population of half a billion, the ownership of one-third of the world’s energy resources, the unique position of Europe-China connection; And Russia with the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean, a young and powerful manpower; It contains a unique identity called Islam. We are not only capable neighbors, but also inheritors and at the same time promote a genuine identity emanating from Islamic culture that is able to lead the future of humanity in the brightest state and can inject spiritual growth and vitality into the body of all-round cooperation between us.
Over the years, good achievements and progress have been made in ECO.
But there is still a significant gap between the successes achieved and the actual capacities and capabilities of the organization. For example, despite high trade potential, intra-regional trade is still less than 10%.
Ladies and Gentlemen
The Islamic Republic of Iran seeks to enhance the level of cooperation in ECO and to raise the rank and status of this organization in regional and international relations. We believe that there are effective tools for the leap of the organization that, if the efforts of the members are shared, can ensure the well-being of future generations in addition to the material progress of the countries.
Of course, it is necessary to pay attention to the consequences of the corona epidemic; We now need the collective intervention of member states to remove the destructive effects of the Corona epidemic from the region and to enhance our relations and interactions with appropriate acceleration and with the help of our experiences in health, education and drug production.
I would like to draw your attention to the following necessities:
1- Seriousness in trade: Many economic openings in ECO depend on the promotion of intra-regional trade. The Islamic Republic of Iran is ready to play a greater role in trade liberalization in the ECO region. We want all member states to participate in ECO trade liberalization, whether in the form of the ECOTA Agreement or in the form of free trade negotiations, according to a timetable commensurate with their national economy. The Islamic Republic of Iran is ready to contribute to achieving this important goal by granting appropriate preferential tariffs within the framework of ECO.
۲.p Complementary Transport Network: ECO transport networks are not only necessary for the development of intra-regional trade, but also serve the trade of member countries, especially landlocked countries, with the outside world. We believe that the regional and trans-regional trade potentials are such that sooner or later, all potential routes in the eco-zone must be opened. The formation of the Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul road corridor after ten years is proof of this claim. For the ECO region, the Khafah-Herat-Mazar-e-Sharif-Hairatan corridor is as important as the Hairatan-Mazar-e-Sharif-Peshawar corridor; The Rasht-Astara-Baku railway corridor is as essential as the Amirabad-Octau water corridor; The Istanbul-Sarakhs-Almaty corridor is as important as the Bandar Abbas-Sarakhs-Almaty corridor; The port of Chabahar is as important as the port of Gwadar; Iranian ports in the north and south are the irreplaceable infrastructures of cooperation, prosperity and brotherhood in the region.
۳- Energy and its commercial and development capacities: Completion of unfinished measures such as creating a regional ECO electricity market; Creating a consortium of eco energy companies; Operation of the Eco Clean Energy Center; And the cooperation mechanism of ECO refining industries should be given priority. In addition to serious cooperation in these areas, the Islamic Republic of Iran is ready to develop oil and gas training programs for ECO member countries. We are also interested in water transfer projects to applicant countries, including the Islamic Republic of Iran, on the agenda of the ECO.
۴- Digital Economy: The Islamic Republic of Iran is ready in areas such as fiber optic connection of member countries, creation of joint digital platforms, technological, scientific and academic exchanges, creation of common markets in information and communication technology regions, as well as in the field of happy education experience. Artificial intelligence and virtual training to collaborate with members. There is a readiness for the Islamic Republic of Iran to be the focal point of this cooperation in the ECO and to assist the organization in holding an annual meeting on cyber security and virtual training at the professional level among member countries.
5- New financial architecture in ECO: commercial capacities of the region; Infrastructure and development requirements of the region; And restrictions on access to financial resources outside the region necessitate more effective mechanisms in the form of a new regional architecture. The ECO Trade and Development Bank should play a key role in financing trade between member countries through legal and procedural reforms. The Islamic Republic of Iran is ready to consider the increase of the bank’s capital with a positive view. We also welcome the idea of creating an “ECO Joint Investment Fund” which was proposed by Iran at the meeting of the National Wealth Funds of the member countries. Will provide itself to projects covered by this fund.
The Islamic Republic supports the expansion of cultural interactions, especially inter-university cooperation, in order to benefit from the capacity of elites and the development of scientific diplomacy.
We also support the Islamic Republic in any proposal that leads to the expansion of arrangements and mechanisms for cooperation in ECO to all members.
The Islamic Republic of Iran is fully prepared to complete complementary efforts, including the establishment of ECO Police and the establishment of ECO Judicial Cooperation Mechanism as soon as possible, and the “ECO Center for Anti-Corruption and Ambulatory Cooperation” based in Tehran to be operational soon. / p>
Dear brothers;
In recent years, fortunately, ECO has demonstrated an effective approach and position on some issues of the international community. The recent UN General Assembly resolution on “Cooperation between the United Nations and the ECO” indicates the effective cooperation of the two organizations on global issues with regional implications. I also need to mention one of the topics of World Climate Change Day. ECO and its environmental agency have long demonstrated members’ commitment to this global agenda by designing climate change and global warming projects, and need to be addressed with more diligence. Climate change is a global issue with far-reaching consequences that has affected all countries, both developed and developing. The current situation is the result of the actions of industrialized and developed countries over the last two centuries, which have seriously endangered human life by destroying natural resources and the improper use of underground resources and mines, by increasing global warming. Industrialized governments must assume their historic responsibilities and take action to finance, transfer relevant technologies and build capacity in developing countries. The ECO region should be one of the target areas for receiving such assistance.
Sustainable peace, sustainable development and public welfare depend on the realization of the two principles of justice and spirituality. Achieving global justice requires redefining the relationship between developed countries and developing countries. Existing relationships are the result of hegemonic policies. Monotheists emphasize the compassion and brotherhood of all of God’s servants. Divine religions, especially the teachings of Islam, do not accept undue discrimination against any people, race or nation.
Mr. Chairman, Brothers
The Islamic Republic of Iran believes that the management of the region should be done by the countries of the region themselves. The end of hostilities in the Caucasus region promises stability and the beginning of a new chapter of regional development and convergence; And it is the duty of all of us to work in this direction. The participation and cooperation of ECO member countries with the Caucasus region at this stage can help deepen and enhance the role of the organization. Given the new conditions in the Caucasus region, we believe that the revival of traditional routes and the facilitation of the movement of goods and passengers in the region after three decades will contribute to the growth and development of the ECO region. We also believe that any change in the political geography of the region will not only contribute to the stability and security of the region, but will also pave the way for further tensions in the future. Cooperation between the countries of the Caucasus will be based on mutual respect and the preservation of the territorial integrity of the countries and international rules, will guarantee peace and stability and pave the way for the progress and development of the countries in the region. Stability in the Caucasus region has also paved the way for the formation of trans-regional cooperation, such as the establishment of the Persian Gulf-Black Sea International Corridor, which will facilitate ECO members’ trade and economic relations with other countries.
In recent decades, ECO has established appropriate mechanisms to support the reconstruction and economic development of Afghanistan, which is in the arms of ECO countries. The message of the ECO Summit to the world should be to continue to support the efforts of Afghanistan and its noble people in economic reconstruction and development. Now, with the arrival of winter, the people of Afghanistan are in dire need of basic necessities and fuel more than ever. But more painful than the cold is that the financial resources of the Afghan people have been seized by yesterday’s occupiers and today’s American thieves. The Islamic Republic of Iran, as always, is ready to cooperate and assist the people of Afghanistan, especially in supporting the education of talented women and girls in that land.
Ladies and gentlemen,
The support of the Islamic Republic of Iran for the ECO and its activities is unconditional. The oppressive US sanctions against Iran are too small to disrupt the Islamic Republic of Iran’s will to pursue a policy of maximum engagement with its neighbors and the region. The United States has shown that its interests are incompatible with the collective interests of our region by illegally withdrawing from the UN Security Council and imposing unilateral illegal sanctions, as well as by imposing this policy of “maximum oppression.” The interest of our region is the beneficial partners, and the brotherhood of the nations of the region. The Islamic Republic is ready to use all its capacity to achieve this humane and Islamic goal.
Mr. Chairman,
Finally, I would like to thank our dear colleagues in the meetings of senior officials, the Council of Ministers and the Council of Permanent Representatives of ECO for preparing the documents of the Summit.
I thank you once again and wish the government and the people of Turkmenistan ever-increasing happiness.
And peace be upon you and God’s mercy and blessings
End of message
