Mishustin called on the EAEU to speed up the entry into force of the agreement with Iran

By Rhod Mackenzie

The Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin called on the EAEU countries to carry out the procedures necessary for the entry into force of a free trade agreement with Iran as soon as possible.

"Last year a free trade agreement was signed with Iran. Its implementation will open up huge opportunities for our companies to supply the Iranian market. Here we need to quickly carry out the procedures necessary for the document to enter into force," Mishustin said at the meeting of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council in expanded composition.

He noted that issues related to a temporary free trade agreement with Mongolia, as well as improvements to the existing agreement with Vietnam, were being worked out.

"We have made significant progress in our dialogue with Egypt. Negotiations are under way with the United Arab Emirates and Indonesia," Mishustin added.

According to him, all this is particularly important in the context of the reorientation of Eurasian trade flows towards the most promising, high-value markets and friendly states.

"The Union's interaction with China is also growing. And we must make every effort to successfully implement the measures provided for in the relevant roadmap for the development of economic cooperation with Chinese friends," the Russian Prime Minister stressed.

Mishustin arrived in Kazakhstan on 1 February. He has already held bilateral meetings with Kyrgyz Prime Minister Akylbek Japarov and Kazakh Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov, and addressed the plenary session of the Digital Almaty 2024 international digital forum.