BULGARIA OFFERED TO JOIN A NEW TRANSPORT, GAS CORRIDOR WITH IRAN

Opportunities for the development of a new transport corridor for transmission of liquefied natural gas from Iran to Bulgaria, and from there to the whole of Europe was one of the important topics in the talks between the Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov with the Iranian First Vice-President Dr. Eshaq Jahangiri. The meeting was held within the official visit of a delegation from the Bulgarian government in Tehran on 11th of July.

The two delegations discussed the potential for Iran to purchase the equipment produced by the Russian company "Atomstroyexport" for Belene Nuclear Power Plant (NPP). The nuclear equipment is unused as a result of cancelling Belene NPP project.

The main focus of the meeting was energy cooperation.

Speaking after the meeting with the Iranian First Vice-President Eshaq Jahangiri, PM Borissov said that Bulgaria, as soon as now would provide all documents related to the unused equipment for Belene NPP project. The aim is considering possible purchase by Iran.

Meanwhile, the Iranian representatives came up with the initiative for the development of a new transport corridor linking Iran, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Bulgaria. The proposal became possible, Bulgaria’s PM Borissov said, after the construction of Maritsa and Trakia motorways and the speed railway line Bourgas – Istanbul.

He said that it was agreed that experts from Armenia, Georgia and Iran would gather in Sofia in two weeks to discuss how theoretically such transport would look like. The transport corridor will not be limited to transportation of goods and freight, but it will carry gas as well, Borissov added.

He was pleased that the Iranian First Vice-President was familiar with the Balkan gas hub project. Boyko Borissov and d-r Jahangiri also discussed bilateral cooperation in the areas of banking, communication, tourism and agriculture.

The two delegations signed documents for cooperation in the areas of small and medium sized enterprises, investments and communications.

Bulgaria and Iran will cooperate in the development of policies for high-speed Internet, management of Internet resources and postal services. During the visit of the Bulgarian delegation in Tehran, Bulgaria’s Minister of Transport, Information Technology and Communications Ivaylo Moskovski and his Iranian counterpart Mahmoud Vaezi signed a Memorandum of Understanding and Cooperation in the field of communications and information technology.

The memorandum included the priority areas, which will be subject of the cooperation in the area of ITC.

Later on 11th of July, Bulgaria’s Prime Minister met the President of Iran, Hassan Rouhani.

This is the first official visit by a Bulgarian Prime Minister to Iran since 1988.

The Bulgarian Prime Minister was welcomed with military honours at the memorial complex Saadabad in Tehran.

photo:BTA