TEHRAN The visiting six-member delegation of the European Union's Energy Commission discussed Monday with Deputy Energy Minister for Electricity Affairs Mohammad Mallaki ways of expanding bilateral ties. The energy ministry's public relations department reported that Mallaki briefed the EU delegation on Iran's capabilities in electricity sector and said, "The average annual growth rate of electricity is seven percent and that the Energy Ministry has to boost the country's energy generation capacity by 2,000 megawatts (mw) annually." He also informed the EU delegation of the country's export of electricity and of the electricity network's connection with the neighboring countries.

Mallaki also stressed the ministry's policy of promoting private sector's participation, environmental protection and more efficient use of electricity by the subscribers. The Director General of the EU's Energy Commission and head of the delegation Pablo Benavides expressed satisfaction with his travel to Iran, and reiterated that the trip will be a prelude to expansion of cordial relations between Iran and EU. Another Deputy Energy Minister for Energy Affairs Hamid Chitchian also welcomed cooperation between EU and Iran and voiced Iran's readiness to expand bilateral cooperation with the EU's energy commission.

(IRNA)