Iran, Myanmar to boost trade cooperation
Visiting Myanmar's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs U Kyaw Thu held talks with Deputy Director of Iran's Trade Development Organization Ali Hushmandimanesh.
Hushmanimanesh said trade between the two countries in 2006 stood at some 2.2 billion dollars, adding the figure was too meager since both sides' private sectors had an inappropriate recognition of economic and investment opportunities.
"The Islamic Republic of Iran has companies with great potentials on technical and engineering services. The companies can play an active role in Myanmar's development and services projects," he said.
He added that signing an agreement on preferential tariffs between the two countries would be among effective strategies to boost trade and economic exchanges.
The Iranian official called for establishment of a joint committee on bilateral trade and economic cooperation to enhance level of trade exchanges.
Thu, for his part, expressed his country's readiness to expand economic cooperation with Iran and said ties between Iran and Myanmar was founded in 1971 and was promoted after victory of the Islamic Revolution in 1979.
He added that Myanmar implemented four five-year plans for its economic development since 1991 and that the volume of the country's trade hit some 5.5 billion dollars in 2005-2006.