President Urges Regional Countries To Support One Another

Chabahar, March 12, IRNA – President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Monday that countries of the region should cooperate and support one another in a bid to keep up moving on the right track. President Ahmadinejad made the remarks in a special ceremony to inaugurate the start of costruction work on a gas pipeline project for transfer of Iranˈs gas to Pakistan. Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari also attended the ceremony. It is now clear that the foreigners seek to sow seeds of discords among countries of the region in order to trample upon the rights of their nations, he said. Cooperation among regional countries will guarantee their independence, cultural identity and economic power, he said. If countries of the region help meet the needs of one another in the fields of medical care, health, economy and education, the foreigners will have no chance to exploit them, he said. Referring to transfer of Iranˈs gas to Pakistan, President Ahmadinejad said it should be regarded as a golden opportunity for both nations as well as other nations of the region. The project indicates the two sidesˈ firm determination to broaden relations between the two nations, he said. Regional nations share common culture, spirit and ideology, he said. Regional problems will be solved through collective cooperation of countries of the region, he said. Referring to high potentials of both countries, he said Iran and Pakistan can meet each otherˈs needs with reliance on their God-given assets. Construction of the gas pipeline indicates that the two nations are determined to meet each otherˈs needs, he said. ˈWe believe that as long as the two sides move shoulder to shoulder, no foreign country can interfere in their internal affairs,ˈ he said. There are some who are against Iranˈs development, he said, adding that they are using Iranˈs nuclear program as a pretext to hinder the countryˈs progress and development through tough economic sanctions. Gas pipeline has nothing to do with nuclear energy, he said, adding that it is not possible to build nuclear bombs with natural gas. He expressed the hope that the project would be finished as soon as possible and the two nations would benefit from it./end