Iran, Sri Lanka mull economic cooperation

Iranian and Sri Lankan officials on Saturday studied ways to develop economic cooperation to thwart the negative impacts of global financial crisis.

Iran's Minister of Economy and Finance Shamseddin Hosseini and Sri Lankan Minister of Tourism Milinda Moragoda discussed the issue in Tehran.

The Iranian minister said that many countries' national economy and that of the western countries are interdependent and that the US financial crisis can create enormous problems for all.

"So, contrary to anti-Iran propaganda and sanctions on Iran, Sri Lanka is expected to boost cooperation in trade and financial fields."

Many large projects worth of dlrs 1.5 billion on which two sides have reached agreements are indications of mutual interest in ties, Hosseini said.

Meanwhile, the Sri Lankan minister called for expansion of bilateral ties and closer cooperation.

The Sri Lankan tourism minister leading a four-member delegation arrived in Tehran Saturday morning to attend the 2nd International Conference on Investment Opportunities in Iran's tourism industry that opened on November 8./end