Rafsanjani meets Arab Parliament speaker, regional cooperation and security
Regional-Iran, Politics, 5/7/2007

Iran's Chairman of the Expediency Council Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani today held talks with head of Arab Parliament and Foreign Policy Commission of Kuwaiti parliament Mohammad Jassim al-Saqar.

Rafsanjani also said that expansion of communications and economic, political and cultural cooperation among Iran and the Arab states is beneficial for the region and the entire Muslim World.

Rafsanjani hailed successful formation of the Arab Parliament and said that it will become a good means to develop cooperation among the Arab states.

"Expansion of relations among parliaments of Islamic countries and formation of a common parliament for the Arab states will lead to mutual understanding and coordination among Islamic nations.

Underlining the need for getting acquainted with stances of Iran and the Arab states, he noted that cultural, religious, geographical common grounds have brought Iranians and Arabs closer.

"Regarding such affinities, the countries can establish new and firm relations." Hashemi Rafsanjani called for the presence of Iran in the Arab League as an observer, adding that the move would prepare grounds for expansion of dialogue among Iranians and Arabs and bear fruits for both sides.

Mohammad Jassim al-Saqar, for his part, termed holding talks between Iran and Arab states as effective to remove misunderstandings on the current status of the region, adding that becoming acquainted with each other and approaching stances of the two sides are among other benefits of dialogue.

Meantime, Iran's Minister of Foreign Affairs Manouchehr Mottaki said in Stockholm today that Iran advocates forming security alliance with regional states to preserve regional peace and security. Mottaki made the remarks in a meeting with a number of officials, experts, academics, ambassadors and diplomats in Sweden at Stockholm University.

"The Islamic Republic has always welcomed constructive cooperation among countries and expressed its readiness to form a collective contract in this respect," he added. "Expanded and close cooperation among the Persian Gulf littoral states including Iran, Iraq and the six member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is the only avenue to preserve stability and establish security in the region."

Mottaki said that in light of the decades long experiences, the Islamic Republic considers the "Collective Security Plan" as the most effective and competent security project for the Persian Gulf.

Previous Stories:
  Arab Parliament: Iran playing key role in the region   (4/23/2007)
  Larijani: US unilateral measures against Iran fail   (4/9/2007)
  Iranian official: plan by Israel to keep US forces in Iraq   (4/2/2007)

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