Avash News: Hicabi Kırlangıç, the Turkish ambassador to Iran, said that Ankara is working to expand its trade volume with ECO member states—especially Iran, which has the highest level of trade with Turkey. He said, “The goal of Iran and Turkey is to raise the level of trade to 30 billion dollars, but we are still far from that figure. There is significant potential for developing economic relations, and we must plan accordingly.”
The senior Turkish diplomat in Iran added, “Sanctions are among the obstacles to expanding Iran–Turkey trade relations, but they should not be used as a pretext to avoid efforts to increase trade.”
Economic cooperation among its member states
Responding to another question about ECO and the issues that should be prioritized in the organization’s upcoming 10-year program, he said, “The most important issue for ECO is economic cooperation among its member states, which is of particular importance. However, this potential has not been properly utilized so far, even though ECO is one of the oldest international cooperation organizations in the world.”
Kırlangıç went on to highlight the characteristics of ECO member states, noting, “ECO members are neighbors, share borders, and are composed of Islamic countries, but unfortunately, the existing capacities have not been used effectively.”
Emphasizing the need to expand cooperation among ECO members in tourism, industry, and technology, and to define joint projects, he added, “Another important issue within ECO is establishing a transnational railway among the member states. Currently, connections among members are mostly road-based, and this trend must not continue. A transnational railway must be established as soon as possible.”
Global and regional developments
When asked why ECO member states have been unable to properly utilize the available capacities—and whether structural barriers or a lack of political will are involved—the Turkish ambassador in Tehran said, “If they didn’t believe in it, they wouldn’t have joined the organization. We see that members come together for various meetings, but it seems their interest has declined compared to the past. Of course, global and regional developments in recent years have also created distance among the countries. These relations need to be revived, and we must believe that we need one another and understand each other’s needs. Otherwise, the organization will continue on its current trajectory.”
He also responded to a question about the economic problems among ECO states, pointing to transportation issues and differences in customs regulations. “Countries differ in their regulations, and at times these differences hinder cooperation,” he said. “Member states must work together and bring about the necessary coordination in customs laws to facilitate exchanges.”
