TEHRAN - Transportation Minister Binali Yildirim said on Tuesday good relations that had continued between Turkey and Iran for centuries would further improve.
Addressing opening remarks of the meeting of Turkey-Iran Joint Transportation Commission held in Iranian capital Tehran, Yildirim said that two countries which had strategic location in their region should cooperate in transportation and communication.
Iran had a very important role in development of north-south corridor formed by Russia, Iran and India, Yildirim pointed out.
Yildirim said that Turkey expected Iran to support its demand to take place in that corridor.
East-West corridor where Turkey took part and which was also known as Silk Road was another important corridor, Yildirim stated.
Yildirim noted that Turkey wanted that corridor to be developed and expected Iran to take place in that corridor.
Current problems in highway transportation were overcome thanks to reciprocal talks between two countries, Yildirim said. However, he noted, some problems continued.
Yildirim said, ''our aim is to end certain limitations in transportation and lift all obstacles before improvement of commercial and economic relations between Turkey and Iran.''
Transportation Minister Yildirim demanded that problems that Turkish lorries transporting goods to Iran faced like customs card and fuel oil purchase should be solved as well as the problems faced by Turkish lorries transporting goods to Afghanistan at Iran-Afghan border gate.
Yildirim said that efforts to open Esendere border gate in southeastern Hakkari province to trucks would be concluded and Gurbulak Border Gate served people 24 hours a day.
Train carrying containers moved among Istanbul, Tehran and Almaty once a week, Yildirim stated.
Yildirim noted that a tariff unity should be ensured to make that train service held within the scope of Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) more efficient.
Efforts were under way to extend the passenger train service between Istanbul and Tehran held once a week to Almaty, Yildirim said.
Yildirim pointed out that Turkish Airlines (THY) was getting prepared to fly between Istanbul and Tabriz three times a week and aimed to increase flights between Istanbul and Tehran to ten times a week.
''We hope that flights would be arranged between Tehran and Antalya or from Iran to Bodrum or other tourism centers during the high tourism season since there is a significant rise in the number of tourists coming to Turkey in summer,'' Yildirim said.
Yildirim stated that Turkey was ready to solve problems of Iran in civil aviation.
Turkey expected Iranian airlines to start direct flights to Ankara, Yildirim said.
Yildirim noted that they wished that flights would be held between other metropolises and border cities of two countries.
(BRC-AÖ) 23.12.2003