Ahmadinejad: EU package a "step forward" to peaceful solution of Iran's N-case
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
Shanghai, June 15, IRNA
Iran-Russia-Shanghai
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said here Thursday that the 5+1 Group's incentives package for Iran is a "step forward" in efforts to find a peaceful solution to his country's nuclear standoff with the West.
He made the remarks at a meeting with his Pakistani counterpart, General Pervez Musharraf, on the sidelines of the sixth summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).
The day-long summit concluded with the signing of 10 documents for enhancement of cooperation among the organization's member states.
Reiterating that Iran's nuclear program was for peaceful purposes, President Ahmadinejad told Musharraf that Iran has consistently been cooperating with the United Nations' nuclear watchdog on its nuclear activities.
"Iran has always called for fair negotiations on equal terms to find a solution to its nuclear case," said the president.
On Tehran-Islamabad relations, he hoped the Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline project would soon be finalized, saying its realization would promote economic ties between the two capitals.
The president also stressed the need for Iran-Pakistan closer cooperation in providing security in their border areas.
He said evildoers on both sides of their border should not be allowed to mar the good, neighborly ties of the two countries through terrorist acts.
The Pakistani president, for his part, said that Islamabad was keen to further broaden its ties and cooperation with Tehran.
He asked his Iranian counterpart to speed up implementation of the Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline project, saying realization of the pipeline would help boost Tehran-Islamabad economic ties.
Describing Iran-Pakistan political ties as "good," the general said Islamabad was ready to mount a new security and intelligence cooperation with Tehran in order to boost security in their border areas and intensify cooperation in the battle against terrorism.
Musharraf took the occasion to thank Tehran for its humanitarian aid to survivors of Pakistan's killer earthquake.
President Ahmadinejad arrived in China Wednesday afternoon to attend the SCO summit.
He held talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the summit and is expected to also meet with the presidents of Tajikistan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization is an inter-governmental organization founded in Shanghai on June 15, 2001 by six countries -- China, Russia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.
Iran, Pakistan, India and Mongolia are observer states in the organization.
Its main goals are to draw member states to work together to maintain regional peace, security and stability and hopefully establish a new international political and economic order anchored on the principles of democracy, justice and rationality.
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