Russian President Vladimir Putin and visiting Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi met Monday to discuss international issues and bilateral cooperation
including the Russian contract to build a nuclear power
plant in Iran.
"Russia and Iran can cooperate not only bilaterally, but
also on international and regional problems, and we are
fully prepared to work together with Russia in this
direction," Kharrazi said at the start of his meeting with
Putin in the Kremlin.
Putin told Kharrazi that "Iran is an old and stable
partner" and focused on bilateral relations in his public
comments, saying that the volume of trade between the
countries has risen by more than 70% since 2002.
Kharrazi met earlier in the day with Igor Ivanov,
secretary of Russia's Security Council, who reaffirmed
Moscow's commitment to developing ties with Tehran.
The Iranian Foreign Minister was also scheduled to conduct separate talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
Kharrazi arrived in Moscow Sunday night to meet with senior Russian officials for talks. Heading a delegation, Kharrazi was greeted at Moscow airport by Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Alexiev, other officials of the Ministry as well as Iran's ambassador to Russia, and Iranian diplomats at the Embassy.
Alexiev stressed the need for continued bilateral cooperation and termed exchange of visits by the two countries' top officials as a step toward expansion of bilateral cooperation, according to IRNA.
He expressed hope that during Kharrazi's visit, the sides
would discuss bilateral and international issues as well as those which would help further consolidation of ties.
Kharrazi, for his part, expressed satisfaction over his visit to Moscow and noted that good bilateral relations involve exchange of visits, the news agency said.
He stressed the importance of constant consultations between Tehran and Moscow on regional developments. (Albawaba.com)
© 2004 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
