TEHRAN (CHN) – Signing a three-sided memorandum of understanding among Iran, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan to construct a transit road through Afghanistan was one of the accomplishments of the 6th Ministerial Meeting of Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) Member States on Transport and Communication which was held in Tehran from 24-26 of April 2006.

“Based on this agreement, a transit road which will connect Tajikistan to Iran through Afghanistan will be constructed,” said Morteza Khalaj, secretary of the sixth ECO Ministerial Meeting on Transport and Communication.

According to Khalaj, establishing a cargo and passenger train between Almaty in Kazakhstan and Istanbul in Turkey was one of the top agendas during the sixth ECO Ministerial Meeting on Transport and Communications about transit transportation.

Khalaj believes that launching Almaty-Istanbul train network will be a big accomplishment in the transportation industry for ECO member countries.

Khalaj also added that Almaty-Istanbul train needs more facilities to start running. “One of the major problems still on the way is the shortage in the number of train cars,” said Khalaj.

In addition to establishing a transit network, ECO member countries reached to some agreements on telecommunication such as printing common stamps, holding joint exhibitions and training workshops, and sharing their experiences in this area.

The sixth ECO Ministerial Meeting on Transport and Communications was held in Tehran from 24 to 26th of April with the attendance of ministers and deputies of road and transportation from Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, as well as ECO secretary general, and representatives of International Union of Railways (UIC), delegates from United Nations Economic and social Commission for Asia and Pacific (ESCAP) and some high ranking members from International Organization of Railway Cooperation (OSJD).

The main aim of holding this meeting was to encourage the members of ECO to join international conventions of transportation to increase the safety of transportation, to improve transportation infrastructures, to implement executive regulations in transportation and transit, and to provide insurance in order to establish a developed transportation and transit system for ECO member countries.

Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) is an intergovernmental regional organization established in 1985 by Iran, Pakistan and Turkey in order to promote economical, technical and cultural cooperation among the member states. In 1992 the organization was expanded to include seven new members and now the current members of ECO consist of Iran, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.