Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi kicked off a three-day official visit to Ukraine on Tuesday with a pledge to boost political and trade ties between the two countries.
Kharazi held talks with his Ukrainian counterpart Anatoly Zlenko shortly after his arrival, and was due to meet President Leonid Kuchma and Prime Minister Viktor Yushchenko on Wednesday.
"This visit will provide a new dynamic to bilateral relations in the political, economic and humanitarian spheres," the Ukrainian foreign minister was quoted by Interfax as saying before his meeting with Kharazi.
Talks were expected to focus on "economic cooperation as well as parliamentary and cultural ties," Iranian diplomatic sources told AFP.
Iran and Ukraine have collaborated in the building of the Iran-140 airplane, which has a range of 2,000 kilometers (1,200 miles) and a 52-passenger capacity. The aircraft is due to get its maiden flight on February 11, the 22nd anniversary of the Islamic revolution in Iran.
Kharrazi was expected to attend a forum of Ukrainian and Iranian government and business representatives in order to discuss ways to promote bilateral links. He was due to leave Ukraine Thursday for the Byelorussian capital Minsk, where he will meet his Byelorussian counterpart Mikhail Khvostov and other officials. — (AFP, Kiev)
© Agence France Presse 2001
© 2001 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
