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Ahmadinejad: Iran wants peace, security, progress in region

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Kuwait City, Feb 27, IRNA
Kuwait-Iran-President
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said here Monday that the Islamic Republic of Iran wants peace, security and progress for all countries in the region.

Speaking at a press conference after talks with Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah, President Ahmadinejad said history has shown that Iran is a good neighbor and friend for all the neighbors.

Ahmadinejad said that in the 'good and fruitful' talks he had with the Kuwaiti Emir, they discussed 'old and extensive' relations between Tehran and Kuwait in the political, cultural, economic and security sectors, sharing common positions on many issues.

He said, "The Islamic Republic of Iran and Kuwait call for consolidation of stability and security in the Persian Gulf and the entire Middle East as well as maintaining independence and territorial integrity of Iraq and support for the rights of the Palestinian nation."
Iran's chief executive said that he and Kuwait Emir had in their meeting decided to activate the Tehran-Kuwait Joint Economic Commission, agreeing to assign their foreign ministers with the mission to follow up the issue seriously.

He said the two sides had in their talks stressed regular exchange of visits and further expansion of ties, deciding to carefully investigate such common subjects as the gas, water, and oil related issues as well as security in the Persian Gulf.

To a question about neighboring states' concern over Iran's peaceful nuclear program, Ahmadinejad said, "We are emphasizing that Iran's nuclear activities are following a peaceful course and our peaceful nuclear technology does not pose any threat to the region.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran is among the most flexible states and in expansion of relations with our neighbors, including with the friendly and brother country of Kuwait, with which we now have very good ties, we know no borders," said Ahmadinejad in response to a question that Iran holds inflexible stances vis-a-vis many regional issues.

He said, "Of course, we are inflexible and resistant against the bullying of certain countries, as we are firm and inflexible in defense of the rights of Muslims; however, there is no problem between us and the Kuwaiti brothers."
Asked about the Iran-Kuwait dispute on Arash gas field remaining unsolved, Ahmadinejad said, "Joint ventures deserve thorough and expert-level investigations and studies and we are stressing that our relations with Kuwait are brotherly and growing; and we see no obstacle on the way of expansion of bilateral relations."
Elsewhere, Ahmadinejad said, "We are sorry for Iraqi people due to the ongoing conditions in Iraq resulting from insecurity and we believe that the occupiers should be held accountable for the problems Iraq is facing."
He said both Kuwait and Iran have suffered from crimes committed by former Iraqi ruler Saddam Hussein and that insecurity in Iraq will influence the entire region and Iraqi nation are also in pain as a result.

He stressed, "We support the political process for formation of a broad-based government in Iraq and want independence, security, unity and progress in the country."
He said, "We think that with end of occupation in Iraq considerable portion of problems in the country will be solved." Asked to comment on any connection between explosions in Iran and insecurity in Iraq, Ahmadinejad said, "Presence of the occupiers in Iraq has created insecurity in the region and we have earlier notified them that taking such measures is not right."
The Iranian president stressed that Iranian nation and country are great and firm and experience has shown that they are powerful in defending themselves and will dishearten their ill-wishers.

Also about the US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's claims on Iran's peaceful nuclear program, Ahmadinejad said, "We too want regional disarmament and believe that not only the Middle East but also the entire world should be rid of nuclear weapons."
He stressed, "We have raised the proposal at the United Nations and will seriously follow it up because we believe that nuclear weapons possessed by big powers are a threat to the entire humanity." 1420/2322/1412