Editor in Chief: Moh. Reza Huwaida Thursday, March 28th, 2024

Iran President Urges Reforms in ECO to

Iran President Urges  Reforms in ECO to

Address Regional Needs TEHRAN - The Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) is in need of reforms to be able to address the needs of the regional countries as well as its member states, Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said on Tuesday.Rouhani made the remarks in the 21st Meeting of the Council of Ministers (COM) of the ECO which was started in Iran's capital Tehran on Tuesday.

The reforms in ECO are needed in legal, structural, institutional and planning aspects of the organization, he said according to Press TV. Given the current situation of global economy and emerging crises, "cooperation within the framework of regional organizations" can protect the ECO members from international economic upheavals, the Iranian president was quoted as saying.

Boosting regional trade can also have a positive effect on the economic development of all the ECO member states, he added. During the opening ceremony of the meeting, Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad-Javad Zarif took over the chairmanship of the ECO Council of Ministers from his Azerbaijani counterpart Elmar Mammadyarov.

The two-day meeting of COM in Tehran will account for the reports of the ECO and its institutions on progress achieved in the main activity area of the ECO that focus, among others, on transport, trade, energy, environment and agriculture covering the period 2012-2013. The Meeting will also adopt substantial decisions on the new initiatives and activities reflected in the Work Program planned for 2013-14. (Xinhua)