Khatami stresses expansion of ties with Armenia

IRNA, Iran
Sept 9 2004

Yerevan, Sept 9, IRNA — President Mohammad Khatami of Iran here
Wednesday evening underlined the need for further expansion of
Iran-Armenia cooperation.

In a meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Markaryan, he
stressed that Iran and Armenia share identical views on many regional
and international issues.

He called for promotion of Tehran-Yerevan relations in the energy,
gas and communications sectors and said that bolstering bilateral
ties in those areas would pave the way for expansion of commercial
cooperations among regional states.

The Iranian president further called for settlement of peace in the
entire region and underlined the need to solve the existing problems
facing regional countries.

Turning to vast economic potentials in both Iran and Armenia, Khatami
called for promotion of foreign investments in the two countries.

For his part, the Armenian premier stressed the importance of
Iran-Armenia political ties and lauded the great efforts made by
the Islamic Republic of Iran to establish peace and stability in
the region.

Expressing his satisfaction with the current level of Tehran-Yerevan
political ties, he called for expansion of economic cooperation
between the two countries.

President Khatami, heading a high-ranking delegation, arrived here
Wednesday morning on the first leg of a tri-nation regional tour
which will also take him to Belarus and Tajikistan.

Khatami`s official visit to Armenia is taking place in response to
an official visit by President Robert Kocharian to Iran in 2001.
The visit, it is believed, could open new phases of cooperation
between the two countries.

Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi, Energy Minister Habibollah Bitaraf,
Minister of Economic Affairs and Finance Safdar Hosseini and

Commerce Minister Mohammad Shariatmadari are accompanying President
Khatami on this regional tour.