Iran and Uzbekistan have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on air, road and rail transportation.

Iranian Minister of Roads and Transportation Ahmad Khorram and Uzbek Deputy Prime Minister Rustam Yunisov, who is also the chairman of the Uzbek Transportation Organization, signed the MOU in Tashkent on Friday.

The facilitation of transportation on both countries' roads through a decrease in tolls, increasing flights between the two countries' capitals, and cooperation on the reconstruction of Afghanistan's roads are included in the agreement.

Political analysts believe that due to the geographic, historical and cultural affinities as well as the common interests of Iran and the countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), regional officials are determined to revive and expand their historic ties. However, in order to realize this objective, the ground for the expansion of ties should be prepared first. Therefore, Iran, while respecting the independence of the CIS countries, has taken the lead in expanding economic, political and cultural ties with these countries. Iran's initiative to connect its railway system to Turkmenistan and other CIS countries in 1997 was in fact a positive step in this direction. Nevertheless, trade and economic relations between these countries have not been developed to their full potential.

Due to bureaucratic obstacles in import\export regulations and lack of proper insurance mechanisms to support regional exporters, the volume of trade exchanges between Iran and Uzbekistan decreased from 200 million dollars in 1995-96 to 135 million dollars in 2001. This is why the Iranian and Uzbek officials started serious efforts in February this year to remove the obstacles in the way of expanding ties by concluding agreements guaranteeing the export of goods and facilitating rail and road transportation.

Fortunately, the restoration of peace and security in Afghanistan has provided a good opportunity for the development of multilateral ties in the region. That is why the utilization of Afghanistan's potentials to facilitate transportation between the two countries was also discussed by the Iranian minister and Uzbek officials.

The three countries are going to start trilateral negotiations on the construction of a 1,010-kilometer Asian highway from the Doqaroon border crossing in Iran to Afghanistan and the city of Termez in Uzbekistan in the near future.

The MOU Iran and Uzbekistan signed on the expansion of ties in the transportation sector is mutually beneficial and also paves the way for the promotion of regional cooperation.