Iranian minister receives Syrian information minister

Iranian President Muhammad Khatami met on Wednesday in Tehran with Syrian Minister of Information Muhammad Salman.

The Iranian president asserted the close bilateral relations and the need to develop them in all areas. President Khatami also voiced Iran's firm stand in supporting Syria's steadfastness and position.

The two sides discussed developments in the region in the light of Israeli policies. Also discussed were the issues on the agenda of the conference of the Islamic countries' information ministers.

In a meeting held later in the day between the Syrian minister and Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi, talks dealt with relations between the two countries, developments in the region and issues pertaining to the conference of the Islamic countries' information ministers, currently being held in Tehran.

At the opening session of the 5th conference of the information ministers of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), the Syrian minister indicated that the conference is being held under "critical circumstances, the absence of international balance, double standard criteria, the hegemony of the superpowers over global monopolies in economy and communications, the growing gap between rich and the developing countries as well as the backing of the policy of economic, cultural and information globalization."

He indicated that in his speech before the Islamic summit held in Tehran two years ago, Syrian President Hafez al-Assad asserted that what brings together "our countries and peoples is much more than what separates us," adding that, "Religion, history and common civilization are at the top of what brings us together."

He continued that a focus "must be made on strengthening the internal house of our countries and that basic national information structures should be cemented in all fields, as well as bilateral and collective cooperation in all information activities among the OIC member states."