IRNA, Iran
March 13 2009

Iranian foreign minister, Armenian president praise ties

Tehran, 14 March: Minister of Foreign Affairs Manuchehr Mottaki said
relations between Iran and Armenia, directed by the presidents of the
two countries, have been expanding.

Mottaki, at a meting with Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan in Yerevan
on Friday [13 March], said he had had good consultations with Armenian
officials about President Sargsyan’s upcoming visit to Iran and
expressed hope that new steps would be taken in bilateral relations by
signing new documents.

Expounding on potentials of both countries in cooperation and trade,
Mottaki said the existing relations are not what should be and it is
expected that new ideas could be put forward to deepen ties in
different fields.

He added: " We hope to promote the trend of development in the region
by signing a free trade agreement, building a railway, construction of
the Aras hydraulic power plant, and further use of abilities of
Iranian contractors in different projects in Armenia."

On the political situation in the Caucasus, Mottaki said that peace is
the first condition for sustainable development in the region and Iran
does what it can to help its Azeri and Armenian friends to end their
dispute over Karabakh.

President Sargsyan, for his part, expressed hope that big developments
could be created in bilateral relations.

He added: "Our ultimate goal is linking the Persian Gulf to the Black
Sea, and to materialize it, we need to implement big projects in
infrastructure among which is the railway to connect the two countries
that is an important project for Armenia."

President Sargsyan called for promoting bilateral relations in two
fields. First, giving momentum to existing cooperation and second,
planning for greater objectives.

He said he would pursue these objectives in his trip to Tehran.

On the role of Iran in resolving regional disputes, President Sargsyan
praised the role and said: " Iran as an influential country in the
region, has always had a balanced role and we welcome Iran’s efforts
to end the dispute over Karabakh."

The Iranian foreign minister has been in Yerevan since Thursday [12
March] on an invitation by his Armenian counterpart Edvard Nalbandyan.