ABDULLAH IN TEHRAN FOR TALKS WITH AHMADINEJAD

FROM MUIN ABDUL MAJID

TEHRAN, Dec 22 (Bernama) -- Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah
Ahmad Badawi, who arrived here Sunday, is to hold talks with Iranian President
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad at the Presidential Office here Monday.

The meeting is among the highlights of his four-day official visit to
this
Islamic republic.

The Malaysian leader, accompanied by his wife Jeanne Abdullah,
was met on arrival at a Tehran airport by Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr
Mottaki.
On Abdullah's second official visit to Iran before the planned transition
of power in Malaysia in March next year, his entourage includes several
ministers, a deputy minister, Malaysian members of parliament, corporate
figures and high-ranking government officials.

They are joined by the Malaysian ambassador to Iran, Syed Munshe
Afdzaruddin.

Abdullah made his first official trip to Iran as prime minister in 2005 but
had been a regular visitor to this country prior to that in his capacity as
Malaysia's foreign minister and later deputy prime minister.

Observers said the Abdullah-Ahmadinejad talks would provide further impetus
to existing warm relations between Malaysia and Iran, including in the area of
trade and investment.

Both leaders are also expected to witness the signing of several
memorandums of understanding and agreements, such as those on combating the
illicit trafficking in drugs, science and technology cooperation, Proton's Gen-2
assembly programme in Iran, as well as the one related to the oil and gas
sector.

Abdullah is also scheduled to visit the Research and Technology Township
later Monday.

On Sunday night, Abdullah and Jeanne attended a dinner hosted by Syed
Munshe at the ambassador's official residence.

-- BERNAMA