Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki and his Chinese counterpart, Li Zhaoxing, in a meeting in China's capital of Beijing on Thursday discussed all-out expansion of relations as well as the latest regional and international developments.
During the meeting, Li Zhaoxing referred to Iran-China cooperation in political and economic domains as satisfactory and noted that his country views the mutual relations as strategic.
Turning to the future bonds between the two countries as promising and hoping for broadening of ties with Iran's new government, he called for strengthening of consulting mechanism and political diplomacy between the foreign ministries of the the two sides.
Li said that the two countries have common outlooks on many international issues and urged the need for bolstering of cooperation in international affairs such as the UN, Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), and other international bodies through increasing contacts and exchange of views.
He supported Iran's approach towards its nuclear dossier, namely Islam's ban on production of atomic weapons, compliance with NPT, make the Middle East free from nuclear weapons, continued negotiations with EU, interest in solving the nuclear standoff within IAEA framework and readiness for cooperation with other states such as China in this respect.
He declared his country's support for Iran-EU negotiations meant to come up with a long-term solution and its interest in continuing talks with Tehran and playing a role in settling the issue politically.
Meanwhile, he said that the two countries have an similar approach towards the Iraq issue and expressed his country's will to exchange views with Iran, as the most significant and effective neighbor of Iraq.
Turning to the Iraqis' right to determine the destiny of their own country, he reiterated the need for continuity of the present political trend.
For his part, Mottaki pointed to the wide capacities for expansion of bilateral ties and urged broadening of such cooperation in the domains of politics, economy, trade, culture as well as regional and international affairs.
The minister referred to SCO as a proper ground for bilateral regional collaboration and called for using China's experience for becoming a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
He praised China's proper approach towards Iran's nuclear activities and the settlement of the issue within the framework of the UN nuclear watchdog.
Mottaki referred to the Foreign Ministry statement on resumption of negotiations with EU without any preconditions and reiterated that according to Iran's outlook, this is the best solution and that they should have a set goal.
He stated that sincere and transparent cooperation with the agency over the past two years mainly aimed to create a secure international atmosphere and expressed Iran's gratitude to the constructive efforts of some of the Board of Governors member states, in particular China, towards solving the issue.
The two ministers continued by discussing the latest developments in Afghanistan and Iraq, the human rights issue, restoration of the Palestinians rights, campaign against terrorism and reform in the United Nations.
The Iranian foreign minister arrived in Beijing on Thursday morning on a two-day visit.
In separate meetings with Chinese Vice-President Zeng Qinghong and Chinese Minister in charge of State Development and Reform Commission Ma Kai, Mottaki discussed matters of mutual concern. |
