Fars News Agency , Iran
March 14 2009

Iran Ready to Help Resolve Karabakh Dispute

TEHRAN (FNA)- Iran is prepared to help its Azeri and Armenian
neighbors to resolve their dispute over Karabakh, Iranian Foreign
Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said on Friday.

Armenian President Serzh Sargsian in Yerevan, Mottaki described
peace as the first condition for sustainable development in the
region.

Referring to the two countries’ cooperation and trade exchanges, he
urged forwarding new ideas to expand ties, and said the existing
relations are not ideal.

Iranian foreign minister expressed hope that Iran and Armenia sign a
free trade agreement to promote the trend of development in the
region, build railway and construct Aras hydraulic power plant.

He also called on Armenia to use the abilities of Iranian contractors
in different projects.

He referred to the Armenian president’s visit to Iran, and said inking
new documents can open a new season in the two countries relations.

Sargsian, for his part, termed Iran an influential country in the
region and welcomed Iran’s efforts to resolve the Karabakh dispute.

He announced his country’s readiness to pursue implementation of big
infrastructural projects, specially railway, to connect the two
countries and join the Persian Gulf to the Black Sea.