Dear colleagues,

I would like to express my very warm welcome to the distinguished members of the delegations participating today in the Armenia-Iran-Greece trilateral cooperation meeting. This meeting, as well as our cooperation to date, are a testament of our joint and individual commitment to promote regional peace and economic cooperation based on our excellent bilateral relations.

The globalization of today's world economy has brought down traditional barriers making economic cooperation an important cornerstone defining relations between countries and a foundational prerequisite strengthening other bilateral and multilateral ties. This region is at the crossroads of several worlds tying Europe, Asia and the middle east. It is also emerging as the center of competing political and economic interests. Long term peace and prosperity in this region will hinge on the even economic development of the region and its insertion in multifaceted economic arrangements between countries and regional organizations.

The cooperation that exists between our countries is an excellent example of how we can tie the region closer together and expand our range of activities. Our cooperation in the fields of communications and transportation also falls in the nature of projects conceived by TRASECA and others to create an integrated region in the South Caucasus that is tied to the global economy.

In these meetings we try to assess our achievements and determine the prospects for the steady evolution of our cooperative activities that can give us positive impetus. I am delighted and satisfied to conclude today that the second and third sessions of the Executive Committee of the Armenia-Iran-Greece trilateral cooperation, held recently in Athens, and yesterday in Yerevan, were both substantive and productive.

The Committee examined the various proposals that were made by the subcommittees since the last ministerial meeting in Teheran. I would like to emphasize the activities undertaken by the subcommittees on energy, transport and communications, and the agreements they have reached.

The energy sector is of particular importance for Armenia, as it is I believe for Iran and Greece. We take special note of Greece's readiness to participate in the feasibility studies for the construction of the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline, and we similarly note the interest expressed by the Russian "Gazprom" company as well as the French company "Gas de France" to participate in this project. It is exactly such projects that will make this region economically integrated and part of the larger transit corridor for which the region is destined.

Similarly, the agreements reached and the proposals made in the subcommittees for transport and communications have been very significant; namely, the opening of a regular Salonika-Yerevan-Tehran flight, and the prospects for promoting "Multi modal transportation" networks? between our three countries. Such steps anchor this region more firmly in the expansion of the TRASECA project.

Finally, it is important that we strengthen our cooperation through our serious efforts in the work of the various subcommittees that have been established. These serve to lay a tangible foundation to expand the field of cooperation for the Executive Committee. I am sure that the agreements reached during your presence here in Yerevan will qualitatively raise the threshold of our cooperation.

I also remain confident that our third Ministerial meeting will further expand our cooperation and the friendly relations that exist among our countries.

Thank you.