PARLIAMENT SPEAKER LEAVES TEHRAN FOR YEREVAN

Fars News Agency, Iran
Sept 11 2006

TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- Iranian Parliament Speaker Gholam Ali
Haddad Adel, heading a parliamentary delegation, left Tehran for
Yerevan on a four-day visit to Armenia and Kyrgyzstan.

During his visit to the two northern neighbors of the country,
Haddad Adel who is also accompanied by the Deputy Foreign Minister
for Parliamentary Affairs Hamid Reza Asefi, is due to attend meetings
with senior Armenian and Kyrgyz officials to discuss bilateral ties,
and exchange views about regional and international issues .

Haddad Adel is also scheduled to make two speeches at the legislative
assemblies of the said two countries.

Prior to leaving Tehran, the top legislative official told reporters
that maintaining relations and developing cooperation with the
Middle-East and Caucasus countries sets a permanent agenda for
the Islamic Republic of Iran, adding that parliamentary ties with
the assemblies of the said countries constitutes a part of Iran’s
relations with such states.

He also said that during his visit which takes place at the invitation
of the Armenian and Kyrgyzstan parliament speakers, he is due to
discuss bilateral economic and political cooperation, and exchange
views about regional conditions and development of relations between
parliamentary friendship groups.

"Taking into account the Armenian minority population of Iran,
we will do our best to expand ties with the Republic of Armenia,"
Haddad Adel stressed.

The Iranian parliament speaker is accompanied by the representative
of Iranian Armenians at the Islamic Consultative Assembly, some other
MPs and Deputy Foreign Minister for Parliamentary Affairs.