IRNA – Islamic Republic of Iran on Tuesday handed over the rotating presidency of the ECO Council of Ministers to Pakistan.


Foreign Minister of Iran Mohammad Javad Zarif, who is leading the Iranian delegation in the 22nd meeting of the ECO Council of Ministers, handed over the presidency to Pakistan's Adviser to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz.

The COM meeting will approve the Islamabad Deceleration for the 13th ECO summit to be held on March 1.

ECO is a ten-member regional organization, which includes Iran, Pakistan, Turkey, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

The council in the session is expected to decide the ECO’s vision 2025; including the core principles of development, sustainability, regional integration and achieving a conducive environment for people of the region to realize their potential.

The Council of Ministers (COM) is the highest policy and decision-making body and is composed of ministers of foreign affairs or such other representatives of the ministerial rank as may be designated by the governments. The Council of Ministers meets at least once a year by rotation among the member states.

The 21st meeting of the ECO Council of Ministers was held in Tehran on 26 November 2013.

Earlier, a two-day meeting attended by senior officials from all the ECO member states deliberated on issues and finalized agenda for the Meeting of the Council of foreign ministers of the Organization.