E. Azarbaijan, Tatarstan to expand cooperation

In a meeting with Tatarstan Deputy Prime Minister, also the Minister of Industry and Trade, Albert Karimov, attended by the Iranian delegation, including Tabriz Mayor Sadeq Najafi and Iran’s General Consul in Kazan city Ali Beman Eqbali on Friday, the ways of expanding provincial ties were discussed with a focus on the industrial and trade cooperation.

Pointing to the rich background of cooperation and the growing ties of East Azarbaijan and Tatarstan, Najafi welcomed the presence of the country’s investors and industrialists in the Iranian province.

“Industrial cooperation in ship building, industrial machinery and truck building sectors are welcomed,” he said, adding that Iranian companies' active role in the neighboring countries’ markets would promote the transactions.

Referring to the direct flights, Tabriz Mayor also emphasized the necessity of expanding cooperation, with some airlines, including Ata Airlines, ready to cooperate in the sector.

Describing the cooperation expansion as important, Karimov, for his part, stressed on promoting the relations with East Azarbaijan Province in every sector.

He also expressed readiness that the capacities of Tatarstan in petrochemical sectors, truck, ship and plane building, as well as tourism be employed in the cooperation.

Njafi and the Iranian delegation also met with Kazan Mayor Ilsur Metşin and discussed the ways of expanding ties between the two cities.

Meanwhile, an agreement was signed by the two mayors of Tabriz and Kazan, according to which two parks in the cities are dubbed the other city’s name as a measure in accordance with the two cities’ sisterhood agreement.

Tatarstan with an area of 68,000 square kilometers is located in the Russian Volga district. Its population is 3,876,000.

The republic has 21 big and medium cities, as well as hundreds of towns and villages, with Kazan as its capital.

Tatarstan is among the leading industrial, oil producing republics of Russia.

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