BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

21/05/2007

President: Expanding ties with Belarus on top of Iran's agenda

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Monday called the current level of cooperation between Iran and Belarus as very good and growing and said Iran attaches special importance to expansion of ties with Belarus.

Ahmadinejad made the remarks in his meeting with his Belarussian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko.

The Islamic Republic of Iran and Belarus share common and crystal clear stands on international developments, he said.

Iran and Belarus both stay away from unilateralism or a unipolarity in international relations, he said, adding that Tehran seeks expansion of enhanced relations with Minsk.

Exchange of visits between the two sides officials have left positive impacts on expansion of mutual ties, he said.

The existing relations between Tehran and Minsk is based on friendship, justice and moderation which could be promoted to higher levels, he pointed out.

There is suitable grounds for expansion of mutual cooperation in the fields of energy, commerce, transportation and joint investments, Ahmadinejad said.

Adopting independent stands on international developments would arouse antagonism and opposition and this requires both Iran and Belarus to exercise more vigilance, he said.

President Ahmadinejad expressed the hope that his visit to Belarus and meetings with the country's high ranking officials would help deepen mutual relations.

"During our discussions, once again it was proved that the two sides share very close stands on regional and international developments and that grounds are prepared for expansion of mutual ties," Ahmadinejad said.

The Belarussian president, on his part, voiced satisfaction with the current visit of his Iranian counterpart to Belarus and expressed the hope that mutual relations would be further consolidated.

The visit of Iranian president proves that to what extend Iran attaches importance to expansion of ties with Belarus, he said, adding that Belarus is willing to have strategic cooperation with the Islamic Republic of Iran.

"Since Iran and Belarus share common stands on international issues such as the need to set up a just global system, we are to study the issues which are beneficial to both sides," he said.

Given it glorious history and economic backgrounds, Iran could turn into a global center, he said.

"We hope Iranian investors will made more investments in Belarussian oil, gas and industry sectors," he said.

"We are ready to broaden cooperation with Iranian industrialists," he pointed out.

Iran is a very powerful country and Belarus is determined to increase the current level of trade exchanges with that country, he said.

"We hope your current visit to Belarus would help us deepen and broaden our mutual cooperation," he told the Iranian president.

Source:

http://www2.irna.com/en/news/view/line-203/0705217937175133.htm