What will be the benefits of the ECO Summit for the energy sector?
The 15th Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) summit is scheduled to take place next week in Turkmenistan with the aim of resolving economic relations, creating solutions and paving the way for the expansion of economic activities with priority given to neighbors, as experts say. Doubt will benefit the country.
According to ISNA, ECO member countries, despite their capacities and potentials, have not yet succeeded in gaining a good position in the field of trade and economic development in the global arena, while due to the specific conditions of the region and the capabilities of countries in various fields. They can show their convergence and cooperation and promote this organization. It seems that in this meeting, the economic activities and the growth percentage that ECO has had during the past year should be examined and evaluated according to the slogan of regional economic cooperation in the post-Corona era.
The Islamic Republic of Iran, as one of the founders of this organization and its position in the region, can naturally play a role as an influential member.
During these years that the ECO Summit has been held, Iran has always made proposals in various dimensions according to its policies; Including health tourism, visa abolition, especially medical visas in order to develop health tourism, fight corruption, emphasize deregulation, the process of customs facilities among ECO members, strengthen scientific and technological cooperation, expand economic, industrial, agricultural, energy cooperation, The use of the method of purification and exchange with national currencies and the establishment of harmonized customs regulations have been part of Iran’s proposals to ECO.
From the beginning, the foundation of the Economic Cooperation Organization is based on economic growth and development in every aspect, but despite the potentials and capacities of the members for various reasons, such as unbalanced economic level of members, different economic system of member countries or interference. Transregional countries have not been able to play a major role in the growth of world trade.
In this regard, Mohammad Khatibi – Master of Energy – regarding the impact of the 15th Summit of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) and the 6th Summit of the Caspian littoral states on the country’s energy and economic interests, told ISNA: “There are high expectations from the ECO Which can strengthen regional cooperation, but these expectations are not met because ECO member states have other criteria and operate in other organizations.
He stated that these countries have other political and trade relations with other countries, which has caused the expectations from this organization not to be fulfilled as it should be, he said: considering that each country is present in several political and trade organizations, our expectations It should be realistic and reasonable and we should not have high expectations from ECO.
According to this senior energy expert, expectations, if they are at the level of ECO, can shape and stabilize cooperation, but ECO can not be expected to be too specific, because countries see their own interests and have other priorities, for example. Pakistan is an importer of energy, but because it has imported energy from other countries over the years, it naturally cannot shut down those sectors because of eco and meet its needs only from Iran.
Khatibi continued: “A country like Turkey is also interested in its own interests. These countries are trying to create a balance of importers that is in line with their trade balance. We expect that these countries want our energy, we must Considering that these countries have other options and will not meet all their needs through Iran.
“These countries are trying to strike a kind of balance in this area,” he said. Meet their needs from Iran, as is the policy of Iran and does not meet all its needs from ECO member countries.
The expert said that participating in the ECO Summit as an organization for the development of regional cooperation could lead to benefits if expectations are adjusted. “No country joins an organization for no reason, and participating in this summit can bring benefits,” he said. To follow but expectations should not exceed this organization.