Iran, Russia's North Caucasus to boost co-op

Iran's Minister of Roads and Urban Development Abbas Akhoundi, who is visiting Moscow, on Thursday met the Russian Minsiter of North Causasus Affairs Lev Kuzentsov. The two officials discussed various issues, on top of which were bilateral ties including economy, trade, tourism, transportation and shipping.

The Russian minister said that the bilateral cooperation will be sustained on the basis of the priorities determined by the two countries' presidents in March.

Saying that Russia is planning to use its ports in the Caspian Sea, especially in the framework of the North-South Transport Corridor, he added that over the last year, 7,000 containers were shipped through the Corridor.

He also said that Russia is planning to construct a deep-water port in the Caspian Sea for large ships.

Kuzentsov called for more cooperation between Iran and the Muslim majority provinces and Republics o Russia on agriculture and food products, arguing that Halal industry is just one of the potential fields for cooperation between the regions and Iran.

Akhoundi, meanwhile, said that enhancing the cooperation would lead to flourishing the shipping industry in the Caspian Sea within a bilateral cooperation framework, as well as establishing commercial and passenger flights between the North Caucasus and Iran's northern provinces.

He also emphasized the role of governmental management in increasing the competitiveness in the Corridor through cutting transportation tariffs and using large cargo ships.

The North Caucasus is the northern part of the Caucasus region, and embraces the Republics of Dagestan, Chechnya, Ingushetia, Republic of Adygea, North Ossetia–Alania, Karachay, Cherkessia, Kabardino-Balkaria and Stavropol Krai. The region with a Muslim-majority population is neighboring Georgia and the Republic of Azerbaijan.

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