Iran on Monday, September 3, called for an expansion of dialogue and cooperation with the European Union notably in the fields of economy and the environment, as well as the war against drugs, state media reported.
During Monday's twice-yearly Iran-EU meeting, officials from both sides raised the issue of bilateral ties, prospects for a cooperation agreement, as well as the Euro and international issues including the Middle East violence.
"Effective means to reach economic agreements and expand collaboration in the domains of transport, environment, agriculture, fishing, as well as science and research were discussed," foreign ministry spokesman Hamid-Reza Asefi said. The EU delegation, led by the head of the European troika, Jan De Bock, "thanked Iran for its efforts in the war against drugs and for its welcoming of (Afghan) refugees," Asefi said.
Iran, a transit country for drugs coming from Afghanistan and Pakistan headed for Europe, central Asia and the Gulf, is seeking greater cooperation with Europe to fight the burgeoning drugs trade. According to a European source in Tehran, an Iran-European meeting is scheduled to be held in Brussels September 17 for drug-related issues.
The two sides also discussed plans for "commercial cooperation" which Tehran hopes will lead to its membership in the World Trade Organization (WTO) and which the EU insists should include a clause on human rights and the return of Iranians who have clandestinely immigrated to third countries. Tehran regularly rejects accusations of human rights violations in the Islamic republic, which it claims are "interference" in its internal affairs by the international community.
The "troika" delegation, which includes Spain's foreign ministry representative Javier Garrigues and European Commission official Patrick Laurent, also called for the creation of a team charged with studying asylum and immigration-related issues.
During Monday's meeting EU representatives expressed their rising "concern" over the number of Iranians who illegally immigrate to Europe. The Iranian delegation, headed by deputy foreign minister for US and EU affairs Ali Ahani, for its part called for expanded dialogue on environmental, agricultural, transport, culture and tourism issues.
Since the election of moderate President Mohammad Khatami in 1997, Tehran has stepped up its rapprochement efforts with EU, notably Italy, France and Germany, the latter of which is Iran's largest European trade partner. During his first term Khatami, who was reelected to a second and final four-year term in June, traveled to all three nations.
The Iranian side also deplored the EU's "insufficient" role in the Middle East crisis. "During the discussions the Iranian delegation deemed as insufficient the European Union's involvement" in the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians which exploded into deadly violence more than 11 months ago.
"The EU should involve itself in a more concrete manner, and support the return of Palestinian refugees, a referendum and the absolute retreat of the Zionist regime from the occupied territories," Asefi said. Iran does not recognize the Jewish state and supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has called Israel a "cancerous tumor" that needs to be eliminated.
Tehran also refuses any "political dialogue" with the United States. The two nations severed ties in 1980 following the seizure of the US embassy in Tehran. Washington considers Iran a "terrorist" state.
The Iran-EU meetings are held every six months, alternating between Tehran and the capital of the country holding the revolving EU presidency. — (AFP, Tehran)
© Agence France Presse 2001
© 2001 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
