Kharrazi Expresses Concern Over India's Nuclear Tests
May 23, 1998 - 0:0
TEHRAN Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi, in a meeting with his Pakistani counterpart Gohar Ayub Khan Thursday, expressed concern over India's nuclear tests and called on Islamabad to practice self-restraint. Reiterating Iran's call for expansion of nuclear-free zones, Kharrazi said spread of nuclear weapons is against global peace and security. He said such measures will escalate tension and intensify armed rivalry in the region.
Kharrazi said the world community should continue its efforts towards complete annihilation of weapons of mass destruction. The meeting between the two foreign ministers was held on the sidelines of the ministerial meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) in Cartagena, Colombia. Also expressing concern over India's nuclear tests, the Pakistani foreign minister said the tests threaten the entire region. Gohar Ayub Khan said that Pakistan cannot ignore its right of carrying out nuclear tests.
The two sides also underlined continued talks among warring Afghan factions as a means to restore peace and tranquility to the war-torn country. Pointing to the forthcoming visit to Pakistan of the Iranian foreign minister, the two officials underlined the significance of the visit in further promotion of Tehran-Islamabad relations. Meanwhile, Ms. Raje Vacundhara, Indian state minister for foreign affairs, on Thursday handed Kharrazi a copy of Indian prime minister's message concerning the recent nuclear tests by India. Referring to the global concern over the tests, Kharrazi said Iran is for halting production of nuclear weapons and calls for their total destruction.
He said the world should move towards expansion of nuclear-free zones and thorough annihilation of weapons of mass destruction. Elaborating on the recent tests, the Indian official said the measure was not targetted against any specific country, adding that Indian people are seeking peace. Pointing to common cultural and historical bonds between the two countries, she voiced her country's willingness for expansion of bilateral cooperation.
The two sides also exchanged views on regional and international issues and the Indian minister invited Kharrazi to pay a visit to her country. In another development, Kharrazi met and conferred with Colombian Senate President Acosta Medina and stressed expansion of political and economic cooperation between the two countries. Kharrazi described grounds for Iran-Colombia bilateral cooperation as vast and diverse. Medina for his part said that cooperation and understanding between the two countries should be further promoted, adding that interparliamentary relations will help boost bilateral ties.
He voiced interest in using Iran's legislature experience and announced readiness to dispatch a delegation of Colombian parliamentarians to Iran. In a separate meeting, Kharrazi and his Syrian counterpat Farooq al-Shara discussed the latest developments in the Middle East and the Palestinian issue. Referring to the Zionist atrocities against the oppressed Palestinian nation and certain Arab countries, the two sides underlined the need for more cooperation and coordination between Iran and Syria to counter the Zionist regime.
(IRNA)
Kharrazi said the world community should continue its efforts towards complete annihilation of weapons of mass destruction. The meeting between the two foreign ministers was held on the sidelines of the ministerial meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) in Cartagena, Colombia. Also expressing concern over India's nuclear tests, the Pakistani foreign minister said the tests threaten the entire region. Gohar Ayub Khan said that Pakistan cannot ignore its right of carrying out nuclear tests.
The two sides also underlined continued talks among warring Afghan factions as a means to restore peace and tranquility to the war-torn country. Pointing to the forthcoming visit to Pakistan of the Iranian foreign minister, the two officials underlined the significance of the visit in further promotion of Tehran-Islamabad relations. Meanwhile, Ms. Raje Vacundhara, Indian state minister for foreign affairs, on Thursday handed Kharrazi a copy of Indian prime minister's message concerning the recent nuclear tests by India. Referring to the global concern over the tests, Kharrazi said Iran is for halting production of nuclear weapons and calls for their total destruction.
He said the world should move towards expansion of nuclear-free zones and thorough annihilation of weapons of mass destruction. Elaborating on the recent tests, the Indian official said the measure was not targetted against any specific country, adding that Indian people are seeking peace. Pointing to common cultural and historical bonds between the two countries, she voiced her country's willingness for expansion of bilateral cooperation.
The two sides also exchanged views on regional and international issues and the Indian minister invited Kharrazi to pay a visit to her country. In another development, Kharrazi met and conferred with Colombian Senate President Acosta Medina and stressed expansion of political and economic cooperation between the two countries. Kharrazi described grounds for Iran-Colombia bilateral cooperation as vast and diverse. Medina for his part said that cooperation and understanding between the two countries should be further promoted, adding that interparliamentary relations will help boost bilateral ties.
He voiced interest in using Iran's legislature experience and announced readiness to dispatch a delegation of Colombian parliamentarians to Iran. In a separate meeting, Kharrazi and his Syrian counterpat Farooq al-Shara discussed the latest developments in the Middle East and the Palestinian issue. Referring to the Zionist atrocities against the oppressed Palestinian nation and certain Arab countries, the two sides underlined the need for more cooperation and coordination between Iran and Syria to counter the Zionist regime.
(IRNA)