Ahmadinejad’s visit to Baku to help regional peace: envoy
IRNA– Iran’s Ambassador to Azerbaijan Republic Mohammad-Baqer Bahrami said Saturday that the upcoming visit to Baku of the Iranian President would help establish regional peace, security and stability.
Talking to IRNA, he said President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s visit will also lead to further expansion of all-out ties between the two states.
President Ahmadinejad, heading a delegation, is to visit Azerbaijan on November 17-18, he said, adding that the visit is taking place at the official invitation of Azeri President Ilham Aliyev.
The latest regional and international developments as well as issues of mutual interest and further expansion of Tehran-Baku relations are expected to be discussed by the two Presidents, the envoy added.
President Ahmadinejad is also to attend the Caspian Sea summit to be held in the Azeri capital city on his second day of his visit to Baku, the ambassador said.
Several documents on bilateral cooperation in various fields including cultural and economic accords are expected to be inked by the two Presidents, Bahrami added.
He expressed his satisfaction with the existing friendly relations between the two countries, reiterating that the exchange of visits between the Iranian and Azeri officials in the past few months has paved the way for further expansion of bilateral cooperation.
Mottaki: Caspian Sea states’ proper share guarantees regional peace
ISNA-Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said on Tuesday allocating proper share to Caspian Sea littoral states guarantees sustainable peace in the region.
Mottaki speaking in the 27th working group meeting of Caspian Sea littoral states in Tehran aiming at arranging convention of the sea’s legal regime said, "Iran stresses avoidance of unilateral measures on Caspian Sea which go against interests of other sides."
Mottaki expressed hope the meeting could pave the way for cooperation of the coastal countries.
"The upcoming Caspian Sea summit in Baku shows political will of the countries to apply potentials to boost friendly ties," he added.
Iranian Foreign Minister went on to say that finalizing the Caspian Sea legal regime convention paves the way for increasing regional cooperation on economic, political and security fields.
Mottaki stressed, "Iran has always endorsed peaceful settlement of Caspian Sea disputes and it believes that Caspian Sea is the sea of peace, mutual understanding, friendship and cooperation."
He noted that the convention should include freedom and security of shipping, prevention of arms and military competition, protection of the sea’s environment, useful employment of the sea and its aquatic creatures.
Representatives of the five Caspian Sea littoral states (Iran, Russia, the Republics of Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan) are in Tehran for a two-day meeting which opened on Tuesday.
US expects Iran’s nuke programme to be discussed during talks
The Times-- The US expects Tehran’s nuclear programme to be discussed during a meet between European Union’s Foreign Policy Chief Catherine Ashton and Iran’s chief nuclear energy negotiator on December 5, a top official said.
"Our understanding is that Catherine Ashton’s office has responded to Iran. They’ve accepted Iran’s recommendation of December 5th and as her office indicated looks forward to meeting with Dr (Saeed) Jalili on that date.
"We expect that the nuclear program will be the leading issue discussed," State Department spokesman P J Crowley said yesterday.
Crowley said Ashton’s office has indicated it would be the preference of the P-5 plus one to meet, somewhere in Europe, and has proposed Austria or Switzerland
P-5 plus one is the five Permanent Member of the UN Security Council - the US, Britain, France, China and Russia - and Germany.
"Our expectation is this would be a meeting with Jalili, EU High Representative Catherine Ashton, as well as the political directors of the P-5 plus one," Crowley said.
The State Department spokesman however ruled out Turkey as being the venue of the December 5 meeting, which, he said, could be the venue of the subsequent meetings.
"This was something that was discussed with the P-5 plus one political director earlier this week. And Istanbul could still be a location for a second or follow on meeting. But the general consensus is that, the first meeting should be somewhere in central Europe," he said.
Crowley also said the previous meeting in Geneva seemed to satisfy the travel arrangements for all members of the P-5 plus one.
"Iran proposed Istanbul as a possible meeting location. Catherine Ashton’s office has gone back expressing a preference for a meeting in Austria or Switzerland," Crowley said.