TEHRAN - Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Louis Michel will wind up his two-day trip to the Islamic Republic today.

Michel, who arrived in Tehran on Monday evening, held key talks with President Mohammad Khatami, his counterpart Kamal Kharrazi, Secretary of Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Hasan Rowhani, Majlis Speaker Mahdi Karrubi and Chairman of Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, Mohsen Mirdamadi.

The first visit by a Belgian foreign minister to the Islamic Republic signals not only a turning point in bilateral relations but also a new stage in Tehran-European Union relations as a whole.

The fact is that in the years after the 1979 victory of the Islamic Revolution, European policy toward the Islamic Republic has been mostly affected by Washington's hostile attitude toward this country. But, fortunately, there are now signs indicating that the European Union is determined to adopt an independent policy toward Tehran free from U.S. influence and bias.

In his meeting with the SNSC secretary yesterday, Michel stressed that the European Union is opposed to U.S. policies toward the Islamic Republic and has its differences with Washington on this matter. "From the European Union's point of view, Iran is a key country in the region," the Belgian official also noted.

As regards a trade and cooperation agreement between the EU and the Islamic Republic, Michel told Rowhani that Belgium believes a trade agreement between Iran and the EU should be reached as soon as possible.

The most encouraging were Michel's remarks that "the EU differs from Washington over Iran" and "the 15-member bloc has reached political maturity and determines its policies independently." These remarks clearly indicate the new EU stance toward the Islamic Republic.

Concerning the issue of Palestine and the Middle East conflict, the Belgian official said that the EU believes in the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, an idea long advocated by officials of the Islamic Republic. He said the union could act as an international guarantor for the formation of this Palestinian state.

Considering the strong will and desire on the part of both the Islamic Republic and the European Union for the expansion of their bilateral ties, especially given the similarity of their views on major regional and international issues, there seems to be no major hurdle hindering them from boosting their relations and cooperation, which will surely further the interests of both sides.