SCO members have ample capacities for economic cooperation: Iran's first VP

TEHRAN, Oct. 25 (Xinhua) -- Iran's First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber said on Wednesday the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states have ample capacities for economic cooperation, according to a statement published on the website of Mokhber's office.

He made the remarks in an address to reporters before leaving Tehran for Kyrgyzstan's capital Bishkek to attend the 22nd Meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Member States.

He said the SCO was a successful model of strategic regional cooperation, stressing Iran's numerous capacities in the industry, agriculture, modern technologies and energy sectors.

Mokhber expressed hope that Iran would be able to reach bilateral agreements on cooperation and partnership with the SCO member states during the meeting.

Iranian Oil Minister Javad Owji, who accompanies the first vice president on the trip, said on Wednesday that his ministry's agenda during the visit will be preparing the ground for supplying petrochemicals and other products to the SCO members, according to Shana News Agency affiliated with the Iranian Oil Ministry.

He stressed that among other issues, he would discuss exporting Iran's technical and engineering services, making investments in the oil and gas sector and constructing energy transfer pipelines, especially for gas transit from Iran to Central Asian states.

The value of the trade between Iran and the SCO members reached 21.73 billion U.S. dollars in the first six months of the current Iranian calendar year, from March 21 to Sept. 22, indicating a 10 percent year-on-year growth, said the spokesman of the Trade Promotion Commission of Iran's House of Industry, Mine and Trade Rouhollah Latifi on Wednesday, according to the official news agency IRNA.

Iran's full SCO membership was approved at the 23rd meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO held via a video conference in July.