By Xinhua

TEHRAN, Nov. 12 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign Minister Ali-Akbar Salehi said that Iran is ready to boost cooperation with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) in the energy and transit sectors, Press TV reported on Monday.

The Third Ministerial Conference of the ESCAP kicked off in Tehran on Sunday.

"Considering its high potential in the fields of energy, transit, railroads and ports, the Islamic republic of Iran is ready to increase cooperation with ESCAP to develop and achieve its objectives in the region and Asia," Salehi was quoted as saying in a meeting with Executive Secretary of ESCAP Noeleen Heyzer on Sunday.

The Iranian foreign minister urged ESCAP to pay greater attention to geographical regions such as southwest Asia.

Heyzer, who is in Tehran to attend the Third Ministerial Conference of the ESCAP, pointed to ESCAP's significant role in promoting economic and social activities as well as improving the living conditions of the member countries.

Also, head of Iran's Organization for Investment and Economic and Technical Assistance, Behrouz Alishiri, said Iran's infrastructural plans including the construction of dams, power plants, airports and transportation systems will be presented to potential investors during the ESCAP conference, said Press TV on Monday.

According to the report, ministers and senior officials from 62 member states are attending the conference that kicked off here on Sunday with a High-level Expert Group Meeting. A business forum is scheduled for November 13 and the Third Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Public-Private Partnership for Infrastructure Development is set to be held on November 14.

The ESCAP is the regional development arm of the United Nations for the Asia-Pacific region. Made up of 62 member states, the region is home to 4.1 billion people, or two thirds of the world's population. This makes ESCAP the most comprehensive of the United Nations five regional commissions, and the largest United Nations body serving the Asia-Pacific region with over 600 staff.

Established in 1947 with its headquarters in Bangkok, Thailand, ESCAP works to overcome some of the region's greatest challenges by providing results oriented projects, technical assistance and capacity building to member states.

 

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