Iran's VP Meets Turkish President

Ankara, June 30, IRNA – Vice-President in International Affairs Ali Saeedlo conferred with Turkish President Abdullah Gul here on Friday. Saeedlo, who is the Iranian chairman of joint working group to followin up mutual relations between Iran and Turkey, also submitted President Ahmadinejad's invitation letter for President Abdullah Gul to attend the 16th Non-Aligned Movement Summit in Tehran in September. In the meeting, President Gul described mutual ties 'friendly and expanding'. Referring to great capacity for expansion of cooperation between the two countries and existing political intention in the two presidents for deepening and developing relations, President Gul expressed hope that by finalizing trade agreements, especially trade preferences system, level of bilateral trade exchange exceeds 35 billion dollars annually within the two or three next years. Saeedlo, who arrived in Ankara on Wednesday evening heading an Iranian delegation, called his two-day negotiations with Turkish officials useful and constructive and appreciated President Gul's support for developing relations. He said that proximity between Iran and Turkey is in direction of national interest of both nations and furthermore it has a positive effect on providing stability and tranquility in the region. During his 2-day stay in Ankara, Saeedlo met twice with Turkish Minister of Development Cevdet Yilmaz, who is the Turkish chairman of joint working group to follow up bilateral relationship. The VP also met with Turkish Minister of Science, Industry and Technology Nihat Ergun on Thursday. Saeedlo and his accompanying delegation are to meet with Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Taner Yildiz on Friday. The Iranian delegation will depart Ankara for Tehran on Friday evening./end