<P dir=ltr align=left>Eco workshop wraps up work in tehran</P>

Tehran, June 1, IRNA -- A three-day workshop on Multimodal Transport
   and Trade Facilitation for the ECO region was held on May 19-31,
   2004 in the headquarters of the ECO secretariat here.
   The Islamic Development Bank (IDB) and the United Nations
   Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) were participants in
   the workshop, sponsored by the Economic Cooperation Organization
   (ECO).
   Addressing the inaugural ceremony, ECO Secretary General Askhat
   Orazbay said that ECO gave high priority to the development of
   transport and communications in the region.
   He praised national consultants for preparing useful country
   reports, and expressed hope delibrations of the workshop and its
   conclusions would lead to recommendations aimed at overcoming the
   impediments that overshadowed multimodal transportation and,
   consequently, hampered trafe facilitation in the ECO region.
   He appreciated the Islamic Development Bank, UNCTAD and UNESCAP
   for their continued support to this project and hoped that similar
   cooperation from them would be forthcoming in the future as well.
   Douglas J. Cruickshank, UNCTAD international consultant,
   underscored the importance of the project and the close relationship
   between transport and trade.
   He pointed out that non-availibility of an international legal
   framework on the subject was a major problem in the area MMT, adding
   that there was no customs code in the world which can be described
   as an ideal model.
   He underscored the need for the availibility of complete
   information on trade and transport and recommended partnership
   between the public and private sectors, establishment of border
   links and institution of business linkages between associations
   dealing with trade and transport, raising service standards and
   simplification of customs procedures.
   The workshop concluded with a set of recommendations which
   include harmonization of trade and tariff policies, customs
   procedures, training of customs officials, establishment of linkages
   between trade associations in the trade transport and transit areas
   and preparation of a trade guide and website giving information on
   trade, transport, transit and customs facilitation institutions and
   activities.
   National consultants from Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan
   and Tajikistan who had earlier prepared country reports, participated
   in the workshop