BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

07/09/2006

Belarus views Iran as reliable partner - Lukashenko

MINSK. Sept 7 (Interfax) - Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko has said he views Iran as a reliable partner for bilateral cooperation and interaction in the international arena.

"We view Iran as a substantial fulcrum point far from our borders and would like to see our cooperation develop more actively," Lukashenko said meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Manuchehr Motaki, who is paying an official visit to Belarus.

"We have developed good relations with our neighbors," Lukashenko said. "However, we also have to set up a major arc of cooperation with such powerful states far from our borders as Venezuela, South Africa, Malaysia, and, of course, Iran," he said.

Motaki said: "I have always been greatly enthusiastic about visiting countries with which we have friendly relations, especially those with which we share common hopes and concerns."

"We will definitely come to terms, because there is a will of the leaders of our states to intensify cooperation," Motaki said.

Source:

http://www.interfax.com/3/190899/news.aspx