Iran is not a threat to PGCC states: Ahmadinejad

TEHRAN, Oct. 20 (MNA) - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad hailed on Wednesday the results of the Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) Summit in Kuwait, the Arab Times reported. “Our dialogue leads to a lot of positive achievements which serve the common interests of our nations,” Ahmadinejad told a post-summit press conference. The Iranian president said he held talks on the sidelines of the ACD meeting with Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah on ways to strengthen the bilateral ties. “We hope to reap the fruits of such meetings in the near future,” he noted. Asked about press reports that some Iranian officials issue threats to Kuwait, Ahmadinejad said, “I’ve never heard of such threats. Iran’s official stances are usually stated by the government or the Foreign Ministry. Any comments by other persons do not express our official views.” “How could Iran pose a threat to Kuwait?” he wondered, adding, “The relations between the two countries are close and brotherly, we believe that the security of Kuwait and the countries of the region are part of Iran’s security.” He noted that a lack of security in the Persian Gulf region would harm the interests of all countries without exception. Commenting on the purported risks posed to the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council (PGCC) countries by the Bushehr nuclear power plant in south Iran, President Ahmadinejad said there are some 12 million Iranian people living in adjacent areas. There are many peaceful uses of nuclear energy in the fields of agriculture, industry, medicine and electricity, he said. “There are some 500 nuclear power stations around the globe. Why don’t the Western countries talk about the risks of their nuclear power stations and only talk about ours?” he asked. Ahmadinejad invited the Kuwaiti journalists to visit the Bushehr plant and see for themselves how it meets the international safety standards. In response to the recent oil sanctions imposed by the Western countries on Iran, he said, “The Iranian economy is so strong that it could live without oil revenues; our people could get accustomed to that and I think that things will change in the near future.” Ahmadinejad also rejected a Turkish proposal made earlier this month that Syrian Vice President Faruq al-Shara replace President Beshar al-Assad during a transition phase in Syria. “This means we are imposing a foreign solution on the Syrians. The solution must be Syrian and not imposed from outside and the Syrian people should decide through elections,” the president pointed out.