Iran, Italy Discuss Support for Investment in Energy Sector
March 13, 1999 - 0:0
TEHRAN In talks between Iranian and Italian economic delegations in the course of President Mohammad Khatami's visit to Italy, the two sides focused on support for investment and cooperation in the field of energy (electricity), an Iranian economic official said. The official told IRNA here that satisfactory negotiations have been held between the two sides on support for investment. While the Italian side stressed on the transfer of its investment capital on the basis of exchange rate of the day the Iranian side said it was practicable provided that it is implemented in three months.
On cooperation between the Italian L'ansaldo power company and Iran, the official said the company has received orders for the construction of two 325-megawatt power units for the expansion of Bandar Abbas power grid. He further added that the new orders substitute the previous 52.8-million-dollar agreement with Italy which was concluded before the Islamic Revolution. The official also pointed to the agreement already signed between Italy's Agip and Iran's NIOC for the development of Doroud oil field in Iran as a proof to growing cooperation between Iran and Italy. He said that in the joint agreement between Agip and France's Elf, 500 million dollars in foreign investment has been foreseen in a period of three years.
Meanwhile, he added, the two companies can retrieve their capital within ten years out of the revenues gained through oil exports from this region. Meanwhile, an Italian Trade Ministry report said Italy's exports to Iran grew by 12.6 percent in the first 11 months of 1998 as compared to the same period of the previous year. The report further added that imports from Iran dropped by 22.8 percent during the same period.
Iran stood in the 31st place in the list of countries which exported goods to Italy in 1998. Iran's crude oil exports to Italy in 1998 amounted to 1,500 billion liras, 27.5 percent less than the preceding year, while iron and steel valued 100 billion and textiles 75 billion liras. Meanwhile, Italy exported about 390 billion liras worth of machine tools (89.75 percent increase over 1997) and 200 billion liras worth of non-electric machinery.
Volume of trade between Iran and Italy amounted to 4,488 billion liras in 1997 of which 1,441 billion liras belonged to Italy's exports to Iran. Iran and Italy on Wednesday signed a memorandum of understanding for cooperation in the field of campaign against narcotic drugs. The agreement was signed by Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi and his Italian counterpart Lamberto Dini in Rome in the course of President Mohammad Khatami's three-day state visit to Italy, ended Thursday. The memorandum of understanding was signed at a time when Iran has already shouldered heavy burdens in its anti-drug drive to halt smuggling of narcotics to Europe. Head of the International Narcotic Control Board (INCB) has praisd Iran for its ``successful and praiseworthy'' endeavors in its fight against narcotic drugs.
The official, Professor Hamid Ghodse, said in Vienna on Tuesday that the Islamic Republic of Iran in 1998 confiscated greater amounts of drugs from smugglers than other countries. Iran is still a lucrative market for smuggling drugs to the West, Professor Ghodse said, adding that for this same reason the country faces a major problem. Christa Nickels from the Greens and representative of the German government in drugs affairs recently said in Bonn that the number of addicts who lost their lives in Germany last year rose to 1,674, an increase of 11.5 percent over the preceding year.
Meanwhile, Iran's Prosecutor General Ayatollah Morteza Moqtadaei told a recent training seminar on narcotics and judicial cooperation of Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) and United Nations Drugs Control Program (UNDCP) that Iran has created a strong barrier against smuggling of narcotic drugs to Europe. He told the gathering that the Islamic Republic shoulders a heavy burden in its anti-drug fight and called on international organizations to assist Iran in its efforts in this connection.
(IRNA)
On cooperation between the Italian L'ansaldo power company and Iran, the official said the company has received orders for the construction of two 325-megawatt power units for the expansion of Bandar Abbas power grid. He further added that the new orders substitute the previous 52.8-million-dollar agreement with Italy which was concluded before the Islamic Revolution. The official also pointed to the agreement already signed between Italy's Agip and Iran's NIOC for the development of Doroud oil field in Iran as a proof to growing cooperation between Iran and Italy. He said that in the joint agreement between Agip and France's Elf, 500 million dollars in foreign investment has been foreseen in a period of three years.
Meanwhile, he added, the two companies can retrieve their capital within ten years out of the revenues gained through oil exports from this region. Meanwhile, an Italian Trade Ministry report said Italy's exports to Iran grew by 12.6 percent in the first 11 months of 1998 as compared to the same period of the previous year. The report further added that imports from Iran dropped by 22.8 percent during the same period.
Iran stood in the 31st place in the list of countries which exported goods to Italy in 1998. Iran's crude oil exports to Italy in 1998 amounted to 1,500 billion liras, 27.5 percent less than the preceding year, while iron and steel valued 100 billion and textiles 75 billion liras. Meanwhile, Italy exported about 390 billion liras worth of machine tools (89.75 percent increase over 1997) and 200 billion liras worth of non-electric machinery.
Volume of trade between Iran and Italy amounted to 4,488 billion liras in 1997 of which 1,441 billion liras belonged to Italy's exports to Iran. Iran and Italy on Wednesday signed a memorandum of understanding for cooperation in the field of campaign against narcotic drugs. The agreement was signed by Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi and his Italian counterpart Lamberto Dini in Rome in the course of President Mohammad Khatami's three-day state visit to Italy, ended Thursday. The memorandum of understanding was signed at a time when Iran has already shouldered heavy burdens in its anti-drug drive to halt smuggling of narcotics to Europe. Head of the International Narcotic Control Board (INCB) has praisd Iran for its ``successful and praiseworthy'' endeavors in its fight against narcotic drugs.
The official, Professor Hamid Ghodse, said in Vienna on Tuesday that the Islamic Republic of Iran in 1998 confiscated greater amounts of drugs from smugglers than other countries. Iran is still a lucrative market for smuggling drugs to the West, Professor Ghodse said, adding that for this same reason the country faces a major problem. Christa Nickels from the Greens and representative of the German government in drugs affairs recently said in Bonn that the number of addicts who lost their lives in Germany last year rose to 1,674, an increase of 11.5 percent over the preceding year.
Meanwhile, Iran's Prosecutor General Ayatollah Morteza Moqtadaei told a recent training seminar on narcotics and judicial cooperation of Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) and United Nations Drugs Control Program (UNDCP) that Iran has created a strong barrier against smuggling of narcotic drugs to Europe. He told the gathering that the Islamic Republic shoulders a heavy burden in its anti-drug fight and called on international organizations to assist Iran in its efforts in this connection.
(IRNA)