Iran, Kazakhstan sign 5 cooperation agreements

Tehran [Iran], April 27:Iran and Kazakhstan reached Wednesday five cooperation agreements in various fields.
The memorandums of understanding cover cooperation in trade, tourism, sports and youths, as well as customs affairs, the Iranian official news agency IRNA reported.
Iran's First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber and visiting Kazakh Prime Minster AlikhanSmailov attended the signing ceremony in Tehran, said the report.
Speaking at a joint press conference after the ceremony, Mokhber said the bilateral economic ties should be promoted to be in proportion to the two countries' cordial and close political relations.
The Iranian official put the current annual bilateral trade at 500 million U.S. dollars.
Later in the day, at a meeting between the two countries' delegations, Mokhber said Tehran and Astana can expand cooperation in transportation, energy, industry, mining and agriculture, stressing that Iran is ready to share its know-hows.
He also called for more facilities, such as direct flights, to prepare the ground for boosting tourism between the two countries.
At the meeting, Smailov said improving relations with Iran is Kazakhstan's foreign policy priority.
The two leaders agreed to enhance cooperation across sectors to realize the annual bilateral trade goal of 3 billion dollars.
Source: Xinhua