BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

22/01/2007

Ahmadinejad Confers with Belarus Defense Minister

TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad met with the visiting Belarusian Defense Minister, Leonid Maltsev, here on Monday.

During the meeting, Ahmadinejad said that the two states share identical views about regional and global issues, and voiced Tehran's support for the expansion and development of ties and cooperation with Minsk in all areas.

Noting the strategic position of both countries, he said that progress and power of either state serves the interests of both nations, and reminded that Iran and Belarus can play a complementary role for each other in various areas, given the abundant potentials and capabilities existing on both sides.

The president further viewed Tehran-Minsk ties as cordial and filled with mutual trust, and called on the executive officials of both states to accelerate their efforts and cooperation to implement the agreements and contracts signed by the two countries, which he said indicate the firm determination of both nations and governments to develop bilateral relations.

For his part, Belarusian Defense Minister Leonid Maltsev pointed to the Islamic Republic's remarkable progresses in different grounds, and voiced his country's resolve to expand ties and cooperation with Iran in various spheres.

He also referred to the potentials of Iran and Belarus in different areas, and stressed that speedy implementation of the agreements signed between the two states would pave the way for the development of their mutual ties and cooperation.

Source:

http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=8511020462