Iranian president completes his Arab tour, returns to Tehran
Regional-Regional, Politics, 5/21/1999

Iranian President Muhammad Khatami has described the talks he held with President Hafez al-Assad in Damascus which was his first station in his Arab tour as "good and positive."

In a statement to SANA's correspondent on Thursday night upon his arrival in Tehran concluding a tour which covered Syria, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, the Iranian president said that, "The good talks we held with President Hafez al-Assad covered all areas of bilateral fields, matters pertaining to the region and the Islamic world, especially the cause of Palestine as well as issues relating to the Organization of the Islamic conference."

President Khatami added: "We have reached good agreements on bilateral cooperation ties in various fields." The Iranian president added that his talks with the Saudi officials, especially with King Fahd and Crown Prince Abdullah, dealt with all fields. He stated that viewpoints between the two sides were identical.

The Iranian President also spoke about the results of his talks with officials in Qatar, his last station in his tour. He said, "Our talks with the ruler of Qatar dealt with bilateral relations and the situation in the region." He added, "We have centered on issues of concern to the Organization of the Islamic Conference." He said that several agreements and memoranda of understanding were signed on joint cooperation between the two countries.

The Iranian President stressed at the conclusion of his talks that his visit was "successful and positive and strengthened the atmospheres of confidence and understanding between Iran and the Arab states." He called for maintaining the positive atmosphere which prevails in Arab-Iranian relations for the interests of the countries of the region, serving their interests and common issues, especially the question of security which he said is the responsibility of the countries of the region.

The Iranian president announced his country's readiness to put all its potentials and expertise at the disposal of the countries of the region with the objective to developing and strengthening trade, economic, technical and scientific cooperation areas.

Qatar and Iran on Thursday decided to give their backing to Syria's unswerving stand that provides for Israel's withdrawal from the occupied Golan Heights.

The Gulf News Agency said the two sides expressed in a joint press statement released at the conclusion of the visit held by Khatami to Doha their backing for the Lebanese resistance against the Israeli occupation of south Lebanon.

They stressed the importance of Israel's withdrawal unconditionally from south Lebanon in implementation of UN Security Council resolution 425. They denounced the continued attacks launched by Israel against Lebanese civilians in south Lebanon.

The two sides voiced their solidarity with the Palestinian people and their condemnation of the policy of oppression carried out by the Israeli occupation forces, a policy which they said is in contradiction with international norms and charter.

The two sides stressed categorical rejection of the Israeli settlement policy and attempts aimed at Judaizing the city of Jerusalem and abrogating its Arab and Islamic identity. The two sides urged the international community to firmly stand against these policies, noting the need to end the Israeli occupation of all occupied Arab lands and enable the Palestinian people to establish their own independent state with Jerusalem as a capital.

The Qatari and Iranian sides stressed their total desire to maintain Iraq's sovereignty, non-intervention in its internal affairs, as well as their sympathy with the people of Iraq.

On Thursday, the Iranian President completed his Arab tour which covered the three Arab states of Syria, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. AFP quoted the Iranian president as saying in a speech he gave before the Iranian community in Qatar as saying, "Iran does not want to provoke crisis with any side in the region and seeks to maintain peaceful coexistence with the countries of the Gulf region."

Khatami added, "We want all the countries of the region to be strong and to have self-reliance."

The Iranian president called for continued dialogue between the Gulf region's states, stressing that dialogue is the key to stability in the region.

On Thursday Khatami signed seven agreements and memorandum of understanding on labor, social, investment, youth, and sports cooperation as well as in the areas of television and radio and in fighting drug trafficking in the two countries.

For his part, Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi stressed that President Khatami's tour will be to encourage results on the bilateral, regional and international levels.

Kharazi, who accompanied President Khatami in his tour, said his country gives the utmost priority to improving its relations with the neighboring countries.

Concerning the agreements the Iranian president signed on Thursday, chairman of the Iranian president's office, Ali Abtahi, told the AFP that these agreements constitute the basis for larger economic cooperation between the Arab Gulf states and Iran and will be positively reflected on maintaining security and stability in the region.

Previous Stories:
  Saudi, Iranian FMs for boosting bilateral relations   (5/20/1999)
  Iranian president starts talks in Qatar   (5/20/1999)
  Iranian, Saudi papers commend Khatami's visit to Saudi Arabia   (5/18/1999)
  Iran's position concerning Gulf islands   (5/18/1999)
  Iranian-Syrian agreements, protocols signed on Khatami's visit to Damascus   (5/17/1999)

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