ECO official: Development of tourism, ECO priority

He made the remarks during the inaugural ceremony for the third international ECO-Silk Road Food Festival which started in this western provincial capital city on May 10 and will continue for three days.

Mangi said it is very promising that ECO decided to conduct one of its major events [the food festival] in Zanjan.

The official said that ECO region with more than 8 million kilometers area stretched from Central Asia to South and Southeast Asia and with its 450 million populations is known for its unique beauties and diversities in historical and cultural heritages.

Mangi added that the region has potentially huge capabilities to become a main destination for tourism in the world. However, those capacities have not been properly used yet.

He reminded that ECO, as an inter-governmental organization is to provide situations for sustainable development of its member states through strengthening cooperation and executing joint economic and social projects using international and inter-regional capabilities.

Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) was established in 1964 by Iran, Pakistan and Turkey and after Soviet downfall in 1991, countries like Afghanistan, Azerbaijan Republic, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan joined the organization.

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