China Silk Road plan boosting UN goals: Envoy

EghtesadOnline: China Belt and Road Initiative dramatically boosts the implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Iranian envoy to the UN said.

News ID: ۷۴۱۴۷۶

13 May 2017

Iran’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Gholamali Khoshroo made the remarks in an exclusive interview with Xinhua News Agency on the occasion of International Silk Road Summit which is slated to be held on Sunday, according to IRNA.

“The Initiative would also dramatically boost the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)”, Xinhua quoted Khoshroo as saying.

'We are living in a world that is so interconnected, so we need this connectivity offered by the Belt and Road Initiative.”

Iran’s envoy emphasized the fact that Iran was a very important country on the ancient Silk Road and is also a very important country in the Belt and Road Initiative, and the country also takes an important strategic position by connecting the East with the West, linking Asia to Europe.

'Iran is a great country, culturally, economically and strategically, and this connectivity brings it development, prosperity and jobs.'

“He pointed to the initiative-based interaction between China and Iran as a good solution for both sides.'

'Iran can benefit from this interaction, which may be in different fields, such as energy, transportation, science and technology and investment,' he said.

'Energy is the advantage of Iran, and China has many advantages (like huge market) as well, so we will exchange these advantages in a way that is beneficiary for both sides.”

The Belt and Road Initiative would help reduce tensions in the Middle East through economic development, economic cooperation and creating jobs; Khoshroo said highlighting poverty, underdevelopment, foreign intervention and other issues as major causes for tensions and turmoil in the Middle East.

“Furthermore, the initiative is not only good for the Middle East, but also helps fight against terrorism around the world.”

'We are facing an international terrorism network, we need international cooperation to develop economy and uproot terrorism.”

“The initiative can help reduce these tensions through cooperation and development.'

'I look at the initiative in a more comprehensive way, and in cultural, economic and political ways, it will surely bring peace and development to the world.'

Leaders of twenty-nine countries, heads of important international organizations and 1,200 people from 110 countries are supposed to participate in the event.