DM Monitoring
Bishkek: The main area in which Kyrgyzstan and Iran could cooperate is the sphere of hydropower, Ambassador of Iran to Kyrgyzstan Saeed Kharrazi said at a press conference on Wednesday. In particular, the ambassador noted relevant authorities of the two countries exchanged views on the construction of small and large hydroelectric power plants in the Kyrgyz Republic.
“Iran’s participation in hydropower projects in Kyrgyzstan is now at the stage of elaboration. That is, negotiations are now underway on what projects Iran can take part in. Iran has the intention to take part in all hydroelectric projects in the Kyrgyz Republic, especially small hydropower plants,” Kharrazi said. He also stressed this issue was discussed at the meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission held in December 2019 in Iran, where plans for cooperation in the construction of hydroelectric power plants in the Kyrgyz Republic were outlined.
Also, There are no restrictions on the export of goods from Kyrgyzstan to Iran, Ambassador of Iran to Kyrgyzstan Saeed Kharrazi said.
“We do not have any restrictions. That is, any products that are produced in Kyrgyzstan, at the request of the Kyrgyz side, can be exported to the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Kharrazi added. The ambassador noted economic benefits play a major role in this issue. “As far as I know, Iran has high demand for soy products from the Kyrgyz Republic, these are beans, as well as meat. We have been exporting these products in small quantities until recently,” he said.
Moreover, Iran can exchange goods with Kyrgyzstan using barter, Iranian Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan Saeed Kharrazi said during a press conference on Wednesday. According to the diplomat, due to sanctions against Iran, the banking sectors of the two countries cannot exchange transfers. “But we can exchange goods,” Kharrazi said, noting that Iran has high-tech production of medical equipment and medicines that would be of interest to Kyrgyzstan.
On the other hand, From October 2019 to October 2020, the trade turnover between Kyrgyzstan and Iran amounted to over USD 45 million, Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Kyrgyzstan Said Kharazi told during a press conference in Bishkek.
He noted that until last year and before the introduction of quarantine measures, trade between the countries ranged from USD 60 to 70 million per year. “We have witnessed that our trade turnover has decreased, but approximately two years before that, the trade turnover ranged from USD 60 to 70 million. Due to the fact that a free trade agreement was signed between Iran and the Eurasian Economic Union, Kyrgyzstan ranks fourth in terms of trade between Iran and the five EAEU countries. In 2019-2020, the trade turnover between Kyrgyzstan and Iran amounted to over USD 45 million. It should be borne in mind that more than 6 months of this period fell on the period of the spread of the coronavirus, and most likely, in this regard, there was no increase in trade,” Kharazi said.
