11:42 - 2.11.2017

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The presidents of Azerbaijan, Iran and Russia have made joint statements for the press.

In particular, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani stated that during the trilateral meeting the parties discussed a range of questions.

"The first is the matter of transit between the three countries and creation of transit between Asian and European regions. In fact, transport corridor North-South will connect these two continents. We’ve made a decision about connection of the port of Bandar Abbas with Helsinki, and thereby we would connect Asia with Europe. This transit route runs through Azerbaijan, Russia, Eastern and Northern Europe. We also want to expand cooperation in the field of motor roads and maritime transport. We, the three countries located on the shores of the Caspian Sea, using the opportunities of this sea, being the sea of friendship in the region, should obtain development of our countries," the Iranian president emphasized.

He added that a decision was also made to strengthen three states’ ties in the economic sphere.

"We’ve taken an important step for connection with the Eurasian Union. This is a very important step for expansion of ties between Iran and the Eurasian Union. We also want to create a green customs zone between the three countries and apply common customs standards. We also raised the questions of expansion of cooperation in the banking sector, use of national currencies, and discussed the possibility of using national currencies between Iran and Azerbaijan, Iran and Russia, and also in trilateral trade exchanges between one another,” Rouhani said.

The Iranian President stressed that there is a number of good opportunities for cooperation in the energy sector. All three countries have oil and gas resources. Cooperation in the technological sphere, production and export of oil & gas, and joint investments in these sectors is very important.

"We consider it very important to connect electric grids of the three countries. We need to use mutually the electric power of the three countries. We really want to cooperate in the environmental field in the Caspian Sea. As the three riparian countries of the Caspian Sea we must expand cooperation in this field. We also need to complete quickly the definition of the Caspian Sea legal status in order to use its capabilities fully," Rouhani said.

The Iranian leader also pointed out that his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin proposed to hold the next meeting in Russia, and the parties accepted it. So, the next meeting will be held in Russia next year.