TEHRAN - The 18th meeting of the International Council of Business Cooperation (ICBC) of the Caspian Sea littoral states kicked off on Monday in the northern city of Sari, the portal of Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (ICCIMA) reported.

The two-day event was attended by the head of ICCIMA Gholam Hossein Shafeie, ambassadors of neighboring countries along with representatives and officials from Caspian Sea nations.
Speaking in the meeting, Shafeie expressed Iranian private sector’s readiness for constructive cooperation with all the Caspian Sea littoral nations, saying “We intend to create constructive economic partnerships with all our Caspian Sea neighbors based on the common ground in history and culture”.
The official further underlined the need for developing infrastructure as a prerequisite for expansion of economic cooperation among the Caspian Sea nations.
Development of transportation including shipping lines and railways, promoting investment, establishment of a joint fund for financing joint projects, protecting the environment and fighting environmental pollution in the Caspian Sea, establishing a legal framework for fishing activities, and etc. were some of the suggestions presented by the head of Iran’s private sector.
The expansion of tourism, organizing exhibitions, the process of issuing visas, boosting customs and banking cooperation were among other issues raised in the meeting.
The ICBC was established by the chambers of commerce of Russia, Kazakhstan, and Iran in 1996.
EF/MG