On 25 February, a meeting of the Council of Permanent Representatives of the Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO) was held in Tehran. Measures to stimulate cross-border and regional trade in order to increase trade turnover between participating countries were discussed, according to the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan.

Particular attention was paid to the creation of joint trade zones, initiated by the President of Turkmenistan, Serdar Berdimuhamedov. Turkmenistan's successes were presented, including a joint trade zone with Uzbekistan. The Council supported the technical and economic feasibility study of this initiative.

The ECO Secretariat will begin preparing a corresponding project to implement Turkmenistan's proposal.