Iran interested in strengthening relations with Armenia - view

YEREVAN, September 18 (Itar-Tass) -- Iran is interested in even
greater consolidation of friendly relations with Armenia, Iran's President
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said during his meeting in Tehran with Armenia's
Foreign Minister Edvard Nalbandyan, where, among other issues, they
discussed implementation of joint economic programs.
The relationship between the two countries is of "historic and ancient
nature," Foreign Ministry of Armenia quoted Ahmadinejad as saying.
"The two sides expressed satisfaction with cooperation, which is
developing between the two countries," the source reported. "They noted
active mutual visits, political dialogue of high-level, economic and
cultural relations, stressed mutual interest in further development of
mutually beneficial relations."
"Good neighbourly relations that emerged between Armenia and Iran in
the course of history are growing stronger day by day" - Iran's Foreign
Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said during the meeting with Nalbandyan.
His Armenian counterpart, for his part, noted that "there are no
problematic issues between Armenia and Iran, and if there are some
technical issues, they are solved by joint effort."
Participants in the negotiations discussed political, economic and
cultural cooperation and joint programs in energy and transport, Armenia's
Foreign Ministry said. In addition, they called for the holding regular
consultations between foreign ministries and for expansion of the
agreement-legal space between the two countries.
Referring to regional problems, Nalbandyan confirmed that "Armenia has
always advocated for improvement of lasting peace and stability in the
region, for settling problems peacefully, through negotiations and
dialogue." At request of his Iranian counterpart, Armenian Foreign
Minister informed him about progress in negotiations on settlement of the
Karabakh conflict. He stressed "importance of Iran's balanced approach to
this issue."
As for the economic component of the agenda, the parties are currently
working on a railway project to link the two states, on the third
Iran-Armenia power line and on two joint hydroelectric power stations on
the border river Araks. They also plan to expand cooperation in oil and
petrochemicals, including their discussions of a possibility building of
storage for liquid fuel in the territory of Armenia.