Turkish Parliament Speaker Arrives in Tehran
January 30, 1999 - 0:0
TEHRAN Turkish National Assembly Speaker Hikmet Cetin arrived here yesterday for a four-day official visit at the invitation of his Iranian counterpart Ali Akbar Nateq Nouri. Cetin, accompanied by representatives of Turkish political parties, is to discuss bilateral issues with Iranian officials. In an interview with IRNA prior to his departure for Tehran, Cetin said that his visit to Tehran would be significant for Iran and Turkey, and serves to expand the two countries' bilateral relations.
Terming the political ties between Iran and Turkey excellent, Cetin expressed hope that commercial and trade relations between the two countries would further expand. The bilateral economic relations, he said, would be helped by the implementation of the gas pipeline project to transfer Iranian gas to Turkey. On security cooperation between Tehran and Ankara, Cetin said the two countries should expand their cooperation for combating terrorism because ``terrorism is the biggest danger to peace and stability in the region.'' Elsewhere in the interview, Cetin said that expansion of the activities of Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) in economic field would help peace and stability in the region and would strengthen political relations.
Asked to comment on Iraqi developments and the stances taken by Turkey vis-a-vis the issue, Cetin said that Ankara is of the belief that the Iraqi territorial integrity should be respected. At the same time, Iraq should abide by the UN resolutions, he added. Cetin said that while holding the Foreign Ministry post, he had proposed building cooperation between Iranian, Turkish and Syrian foreign ministries with an aim to inform the world as well as party leaders in Northern Iraq that the three countries of the region are for preserving Iraq's territorial integrity.
He added that his proposal also aimed to help lift sanctions imposed on Iraq and return the country to the international community. Terming Iran a ``friendly and brotherly'' neighbor of Turkey, Cetin said the two countries share common culture and values and have long had peaceful and amicable relations. (IRNA)
Terming the political ties between Iran and Turkey excellent, Cetin expressed hope that commercial and trade relations between the two countries would further expand. The bilateral economic relations, he said, would be helped by the implementation of the gas pipeline project to transfer Iranian gas to Turkey. On security cooperation between Tehran and Ankara, Cetin said the two countries should expand their cooperation for combating terrorism because ``terrorism is the biggest danger to peace and stability in the region.'' Elsewhere in the interview, Cetin said that expansion of the activities of Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) in economic field would help peace and stability in the region and would strengthen political relations.
Asked to comment on Iraqi developments and the stances taken by Turkey vis-a-vis the issue, Cetin said that Ankara is of the belief that the Iraqi territorial integrity should be respected. At the same time, Iraq should abide by the UN resolutions, he added. Cetin said that while holding the Foreign Ministry post, he had proposed building cooperation between Iranian, Turkish and Syrian foreign ministries with an aim to inform the world as well as party leaders in Northern Iraq that the three countries of the region are for preserving Iraq's territorial integrity.
He added that his proposal also aimed to help lift sanctions imposed on Iraq and return the country to the international community. Terming Iran a ``friendly and brotherly'' neighbor of Turkey, Cetin said the two countries share common culture and values and have long had peaceful and amicable relations. (IRNA)