Iran offers trade corridor for Pakistani exports to Russia, CARs

Islamabad, Dec 20 (UNI) Iran has offered its trade corridor to Pakistan for exports to Russia and Central Asian republics (CARs) and sought a similar facility from Pakistan for its exports to China.

''We are ready to provide transit facilities through land route to Pakistan,'' Dawn newspaper quoted the visiting Iranian Deputy Commerce Minister Sadegh Mofatteh as saying in Islamabad.

He said Iranian banks would soon open their branches in Pakistan, adding that permission for the purpose had already been granted by Pakistan's government.

Dr Mofatteh, who met chambers and federation officials in Karachi and the union of exporters of rice, said that Iran was keen to make Pakistan its partner in trade and wants to increase trade volume between the two countries from the current 650 million dollars to one billion dollars.

Tehran also wanted to enhance import of rice from Pakistan, which is presently two lakh tonnes per annum, he said while describing his meetings with Pakistani business leaders and commerce minister Humayun Akhtar as fruitful.

About the proposed seven billion dollars Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline, the deputy minister said a working group was already working on it, adding that his country gave high priority to Pakistan for being its trade partner and it would be good for the people as well as the government of Iran.

He said Iran and Pakistan shared borders and had close cultural links, adding that Iran was willing to resolve every problem on its side and wanted Pakistan to reciprocate in the same manner.

He emphasised the need for having a close coordination between government officials and private sector of both the countries.

Meanwhile, the Iranian deputy commerce minister discussed matters relating to bilateral trade with Commerce Minister Humayun Akhtar Khan.

Mr Khan told the visiting minister that Pakistan was a big exporter of orange, but Iran had quarantine requirement on the export of Pakistani fruits to Iran. He said no such quarantine conditions were ever imposed even by European countries on import of fruit from Pakistan.

The Iranian minister said that Pakistan could export its surplus potato to Iran.

Bilateral trade between Pakistan and Iran has jumped from 141.7 million dollars in 1999-2000 to 638 million dollars in 2005-06.

Export from Pakistan has increased from 24 million dollars in 2000-01 to 188 million dollars in 2005-06.

Pakistan and Iran had signed a preferential trade agreement in March 2004 and it became operational in September 2006. Pakistan and Iran had granted tariff concessions on more than 600 items under the agreement.

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