Turkish Energy Minister Hilmi Guler, heading a delegation

Ankara, Nov 15, IRNA - Turkish Energy Minister Hilmi Guler, heading a delegation, is due to arrive in Tehran Saturday evening to finalize a gas accord with Iranian officials.

Talking to IRNA, a Turkish diplomat who was speaking on the condition
of anonymity, added that the special envoy of Turkish prime minister
will be among the nine-member delegation accompanying Guler.

He added that Guler is currently in Baku and will arrive in Tehran
Saturday evening.

Finalizing the gas accord between the two neighboring states will top
the agenda of talks to be held between the Turkish delegation and
senior Iranian officials, he added.

Observers in Ankara expect finalization of the gas deal which was
welcomed by the two countries' leaders during President Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad's recent visit to Turkey.

They believe that Tehran and Ankara enjoy great potentials for
economic cooperation in various fields including energy and gas transit.

During President Ahmadinejad's August visit to Turkey, a joint
statement was issued by the two sides stressing the importance of
energy in economic development of the two states.

The two sides agreed to promote the level of cooperation in the fields
of energy, gas and oil to the highest level and try to finalize
agreements signed between the two capitals in 2007 and 2008 to this end.

The statement said that the two sides had also agreed to transfer gas
from Turkmenistan to Turkey via Iranian soil and make joint
investments to establish three gas power plants in Turkey and two
hydroelectric power plant in Iran.