BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

21/05/2007

Ahmadinejad: Strategic ties with Belarus should be promoted

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Monday that strategic and constant relations between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Republic of Belarus should be promoted.

Ahmadinejad made the remarks in his meeting with Belarussian First Vice President Vladimir Semashko and Minister of Industries Anatoly Roteski.

Iran and Belarus are determined to increase the current level of mutual cooperation and each side should endeavor to remove existing barriers in this respect, he said.

At the meeting, the two sides exchanged views on expansion of mutual cooperation, studied ways of removing hurdles, establishment of cement factories, manufacture of trucks, tractors, road machinery, road construction, construction of electric power stations and cooperation in oil sector.

President Ahmadinejad urged the relative bodies to remove barriers and called on Belarus to prove its good will by removing the problems facing Iranian investors willing to made investment in Belarus.

Ahmadinejad arrived in Minsk, Belarus, Monday on an official two-day visit to hold talks with Belarussian officials.

Ahmadinejad's visit to Minsk is taking place upon an official invitation by his Belarussian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko.

Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki, Minister of Commerce Massoud Mir-Kazemi, Majlis deputies Mohsen Kouhkan and Alaeddin Boroujerdi and Managing Director of Iran Khodro Auto Manufacturing Company Manouchehr Manteqi are accompanying the president in his visit.

The Iranian president is to discuss bilateral ties and key international developments with Lukashenko, parliament speaker and several other senior Belarussian officials.

Source:

http://www2.irna.ir/en/news/view/menu-236/0705213808183811.htm