BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

06/11/2006

Iran, Belarus Presidents Meet On Defense,Trade Cooperation

TEHRAN (AP)--The presidents of Iran and Belarus met in Tehran on Monday to discuss boosting defense and trade partnerships, as well as means to stand up against their common enemy: the U.S.

Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad praised his Belarus counterpart Alexander Lukashenko as a "brave and powerful" leader for opposing U.S. policies and thanked him for supporting Iran's nuclear program.

Iran and Belarus enjoy similar views on regional and global issues, stated Lukashenko, who said his country intended to strengthen ties with Iran.

Dubbed "Europe's last dictator," Lukashenko has ruled his eastern European nation since 1994 and is accused of jailing critics and quashing independent media. The European Union has slapped a visa ban on 35 officials linked to the regime, including Lukashenko himself.

The Belarus leader was on a two-day visit to Iran to increase commercial and strategic ties.

"We believe we need to deepen our common will and power...in order to stand up to enemies," state television quoted him as saying in a separate meeting with Iran's top leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Iran's Ahmadinejad, who is embattled with the West over possible U.N. Security Council sanctions against his controversial uranium enrichment program, said Tehran has "no limitation for expansion of relations with the friendly and brotherly country of Belarus."

Ahmadinejad said the two countries planned to sign agreements to increase cooperation in fields such as "energy, training, joint investments and defense."

Source:

http://www.nasdaq.com/aspxcontent/NewsStory.aspx?cpath=20061106%5cACQDJON200611061607DOWJONESDJONLINE000568.htm&