Thursday, September 06, 2012
Kabul (BNA) The fourth meeting of the joint commission for cooperation between Afghanistan and Iran was held on 4th and 5th of September, 2012 in Kabul.
The Afghan delegation was chaired by H.E. Dr. Zalmai Rassoul, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the Iranian delegation by H.E. Dr. Ali Akbar Salehi, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
At this meeting, which was convened in a friendly environment, the delegations of the two countries deliberating on the progress made in realizing the provisions contained within the MoU of the third joint commission meeting, conducted constructive negotiations on the key issues of cooperation in different areas.
At this meeting, Dr. Zalmai Rassoul said, “I am pleased that we are hosting the fourth periodic joint commission meeting in Kabul. Fortunately, some good mechanisms of cooperation in different areas have been established between the two friendly and brotherly countries over the past years. Such visits are a manifestation of our friendship.”
“Since the establishment of the joint commission, at the periodic meetings, among which was the first meeting in Tehran, some important decisions have been made with regard to the enhancement of cooperation in the projects involving infrastructure, trade, investment, transport and capacity building, which have been realized in most areas or are process” recalled Dr. Rassoul.
Dr. Akbar Salehi, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran, pointing to the Chabahar Port as a new transit route for Afghanistan, said “Now on, certainly, no one can say Afghanistan is a land locked country. Afghanistan, rather, is a country, like every other country, that has access to the open waters, and this is a great achievement for the government and people of Afghanistan and a great achievement for the government and people of Iran.”
After the meeting, the two countries’ foreign ministers signed the Memorandum of Understanding of the fourth joint commission meeting between the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the Islamic Republic of Iran. Subsequently, the two foreign ministers addressing a press conference provided explanations to the journalists on the achievements and results of the meeting.
The Memorandum of Understanding which consists of 54 Articles covers the two countries’ cooperation in the areas of trade and customs, transport, insurance and banking, energy, culture, science and education, consulate affairs, security and border affairs, and other areas of cooperation such as health, agriculture, communication and mines.
The first joint commission meeting on cooperation between the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the Islamic Republic of Iran was held to enhance economic, trade, cultural and consulate areas in 2001. The second meeting of the commission was held in 2006 in Kabul and the third in 2010 for two days in Tehran. The fifth meeting of the joint commission is due to be held in 2013 in Tehran.
