Iran highly regards trilateral summit in Baku

TEHRAN, Aug. 07 (MNA) – Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, ahead of departure for Azerbaijan, attached utmost importance to Iran-Azerbaijan-Russia trilateral summit due in Baku on Monday.
 
Rouhani underlined the summit would be held in Baku followed by Incheboron trilateral meeting and Tehran trilateral summit, covering the issue of the North-South transport corridor project.
 
Speaking among reporters before his departure for Azerbaijan on Sunday, Rouhani said Baku trilateral summit attended by his Azeri and Russian counterparts is held for the first time upon the proposal by President Ilham Heydar oghlu Aliyev for talks about the issues of common interests.
 
He noted the event is very important regarding the relationship with neighbors, the crises in Middle East and the Caucasus, as well as the stability and security in the region.
 
Touching upon his two-day visit to Baku, Rouhani said he will attend the summit to exchange views with Ilham Aliyev and Vladimir Putin about the ways to bolster relations and discuss the latest regional developments. He will also hold separate meetings with his Azeri and Russian counterparts to exchange views on issues of mutual interest.
 
Pointing to the recent boost in trade, economic and political relations with Russia, Rouhani said Tehran and Moscow in recent years have moved toward strategic relations having acceptable level of cooperation in regional and international issues.
 
"North-South international transport corridor which connects Central Asian countries, the Caucasus, China and Europe, is a great blessing for the country," Rouhani noted.
 Iran’s president also said he would discuss implementation of already reached agreements and bolstering cooperation in commerce, industry, energy, culture, banking, consular facilities, telecommunications, and railway transportation, with his Azeri counterpart.