First of all I would like to express my cordial felicitations to the brotherly people of Islamic Republic of Iran as well as the nations of other ECO member countries on the occasion of ECO Day which is celebrated on 28^th of November every year in commemoration of expansion of the Economic Cooperation Organization’s membership from three to ten.

While making a short introduction on ECO, I would like to mention that the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the Republic of Turkey established ECO in 1985. Initially, it was a trilateral Organization which remained functional from 1964 to 1979 with the name of Regional Cooperation for Development (RCD). Later on, in 1992, with the accession of seven new member states, namely the Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan, the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Republic of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and the Republic of Uzbekistan, its membership was expanded to ten.

ECO, with more than seven million sq. km. and nearly 350 million people, offers unique opportunities for the overall regional economic development and Member States are determined to work together to use their combined potential for the betterment of the people of the region.

Today, ECO has completed 12 years of its successful life. The purpose of ECO is to promote multidimensional regional cooperation and to create conditions for sustainable socio-economic growth and development. Promotion of intra-regional trade, development of transport and communications infrastructure, economic liberalization and privatization; mobilization and utilization of ECO region's material resources; effective use of agricultural and industrial potentials as well as regional cooperation for drug control and environmental protection are among objectives of the Economic Cooperation Organization.   

In the past 12 years, ECO has come up with many projects in such areas as Transport, Trade, Energy & Environment, Agriculture and Industry. Ministerial meetings have been organized in various fields to put forward constructive measures to obtain full advantages of the new opportunities unraveling in the region.

ECO has established very close working relation with the United Nations and its affiliated agencies. We have been able to institutionalize and expand relations and cooperation with other International Organizations and more than 15 Memorandums of Understanding have been signed between ECO and different International Organizations.

ECO is getting international assistance for various projects particularly in the field of Drug Control and Interconnection of Power Systems of ECO Member States.

In spirit of cooperation and regional solidarity among the Member States, ECO Heads of States at the 8^th Summit in Dushanbe adopted the modalities for establishing ECO Fund for Reconstruction of Afghanistan and appealed to all Member States to generously contribute to this Fund.

The adoption of ECOTA would lead to gradual but definite removal of the non-tariff barriers, essential for promotion of intra- regional trade among the ECO Member States.  We hope ECOTA will provide the ground for establishing a Free Trade Area in the region by 2015 which was adopted by the 8^th ECO Summit on 14 September 2004 in Dushanbe.

Since the beginning of the new millennium, holding of two Ministerial Meetings on Environment reaffirms ECO Member States commitment to collectively respond to the regional environment problem which has become the most challenging task foe the entire world.

However, the main challenge for ECO Member States remains to develop their economic potentials through regional cooperation on the basis of mutuality of benefits. According to the Economic Strategy for the ECO region, special efforts towards regional cooperation shall be concentrated on transport and communication, trade and energy which are three pivotal development factors in our region.

ECO has become a major regional organization and, undoubtedly, it would achieve its goals with the support of its Member Governments. Today, our Organization has gained momentum to revitalize itself in the international arena and will continue its demonstration towards new heights to serve more effectively in the interests of ECO Member States.  “ECO Vision 2015” is under preparation, and once approved, will be a guideline for the future plan and program of ECO to bring this organization in conformity with the role, that it should play as a dynamic regional organization, capable of leading its Member States.   

Thank you very much.