Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 20 July (BelTA) – Belarus and Iran should intensify interparliamentary cooperation, Speaker of the House of Representatives of Belarus’ National Assembly Vladimir Andreichenko said as he met with Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Iran to Belarus Mustafa Oveisi on 20 July, BelTA has learned.

Vladimir Andreichenko underlined that the Belarusian and Iranian parliaments should be working more actively on expanding collaboration between the two countries. He recalled that a working group has been established to pursue this goal. “In my opinion, this group is not involved in the work of the Belarusian-Iranian commission for economic cooperation. But it should be. This will only benefit both Belarus and Iran,” Vladimir Andreichenko noted.

Speaking about other avenues of Belarus-Iran cooperation, he pointed out a great potential for interregional cooperation. Some regions have already reached relevant agreements. “There has been no effective and specific work so far, however,” the speaker remarked. According to him, twin cities can do a lot, too.

Vladimir Andreichenko said Belarus and Iran will mark the 25^th anniversary of diplomatic relations in March 2018. The countries have established productive cooperation in international organizations such as the UN and the Non-Aligned Movement. The sides hold high-profile meetings on a regular basis. Belarus and Iran have achieved good results in the economic dimension. In Q1 2017 the bilateral trade totaled $48 million, as against $50 million in 2016. Vladimir Andreichenko stressed that diplomats and MPs have made a certain contribution to these results.

The speaker congratulated Ambassador Mustafa Oveisi on the beginning of his diplomatic mission in Belarus and wished him productive work.

For his part, the Iranian diplomat also emphasized a great potential for cooperation between the two countries, including that in the parliamentary dimension.