LARIJANI: PROMOTION OF PEACE AND SECURITY, IRAN’S REGIONAL PRIORITIES

IRNA
April 14, 2009
Tehran

Islamic Parliament Majlis speaker here Monday in a meeting with
Armenian president emphasizing need for bilateral regional cooperation
said Iran’s regional priorities, including in Karabakh, include
promotion of peace and security.

According to IRNA, the Majlis News and Media Office reported Monday
evening that Ali Larijani during the meeting reiterated that the
Islamic Republic of Iran is determined to expand friendly ties with
Armenia, adding, "New fields for cooperation should be identified."

Referring to the numerous steps taken during the course of the past
years for strengthening bilateral relations, he said, "There are still
lots of broad unused potentials for expansion of friendly cooperation
that should be used at the service of materializing mutual interests
and boosting regional peace and security."

Larijani said that the Islamic Republic of Iran’s approach regarding
its relations with Armenian is structuring long term relations,
reiterating, "Cooperation between Iran and Armenia is aimed at
strengthening the foundations of sustainable regional peace and
security."

The Islamic Majlis speaker meanwhile expressed satisfaction over the
increasing trend of bilateral cooperation, emphasizing, "The trend
of comprehensive cooperation, particularly in economic and industrial
fields, should be further=2 0accelerated."

Emphasizing the need for implementing more joint development projects,
including in power transfer and railway projects that would play
decisive roles in improvement and blossoming of the regional economy,
Larijani said that the Majlis would take any necessary step for
strengthening relations with Armenia.

According to the report the Armenian president, too, during the meeting
said that Iran is a very friendly country, adding, "Armenia asks for
further broadening and expansion of friendly ties and comprehensive
cooperation with Iran."

President Serzh Sargsyan reiterated, "Expansion of comprehensive
relations with Iran is among the high priorities for Republic Armenia’s
foreign policy and the two countries’ capabilities and broad facilities
provide appropriate cradles for strengthening ties and implementation
of broader economic and industrial projects."

He meanwhile referred to the record of the two countries’ historic
ties, reiterating, "The future of the two countries’ relations is
predicted to be quite bright and promising."

The Armenian president, accompanied by a high ranking politico-economic
delegation, is now in Iran for talks on ways of expanding cooperation
between the two countries.