Tehran, Sept 26, IRNA -- Visiting Belgian Foreign Minister Louis      
Michel here on Wednesday termed the Islamic Republic of Iran as an    
important and influential country in the region and in the entire     
world of Islam.                                                       
    In a meeting with his Iranian counterpart Kamal Kharrazi, he      
said that member states of the European Union (EU) are determined to  
promote ties with the Islamic Republic.                               
    Praising Tehran's stances regarding the recent terrorist          
operations in the U.S., he said due to the strategic and key role     
being played by Iran in the region its stances on latest regional     
developments enjoy prime importance as far as European states are     
concerned.                                                            
    Conveying to the Islamic Republic an EU message of friendship,    
Michel called for continuation of contacts between Iranian and        
European officials on current developments.                           
    He further appreciated Iran's assistance to settle a large        
number of refugees over the past few years as well as the country's   
great efforts in the battle against drugs.                            
    Expressing his satisfaction with current level of Iran-Belgium    
bilateral cooperation, the Belgian foreign minister reiterated that   
the recent visit to Brussels of his Iranian counterpart was very      
important and decisive.                                               
    Michel, whose country is the current holder of the EU presidency, 
further voiced the readiness of the European countries to sign a trade
and commercial accord with Iran.                                      
    Meanwhile, the EU High Representative for Common Foreign and      
Security Policy, Javier Solana, who was also present in the meeting,  
announced the readiness of EU states to further bolster ties with     
Iran.                                                                 
    The European states attach importance to their cooperation with   
the Islamic Republic, he added.                                       
    He further reiterated that international coalition for struggle   
against terrorism is neither against Islam nor against any Islamic    
state. Solana added that the move is against all kinds of violence.   
    Terming the current talks between Iran and the EU states as a     
positive move toward establishment of an appropriate and mutual       
understanding between the two sides, he called for continuation of    
cooperation between the two sides.                                    
    Solana also called for all-out efforts by all world countries     
to uproot terrorism.                                                  
    Welcoming expansion of Tehran-EU ties, Kharrazi voiced Iran's     
readiness to further promote all-out ties with the EU states          
particularly in the areas of transfer of technology and industrial    
cooperation. He also called for expansion of cooperation between      
the two sides' private sectors.                                       
    In spite of continuation of the U.S. hostile attitude towards     
the Iranian nation, Tehran condemned the recent terrorist attacks     
in New York and Washington, he added.                                 
    Expressing his concern over occurrence of a human tragedy in      
the neighboring Afghanistan, Kharrazi stressed that any kind of       
military operation in Afghanistan which would lead to massacre of a   
large number of civilians, will be faced with opposition of the public
opinion throughout the world of Islam.                                
    The Zionist regime, by establishment of a link between the        
terrorist operations in the U.S. and the Mideast crisis, is trying to 
mislead the world public opinion from continuation of its crimes in   
the occupied territories, he added.                                   
    Underlining the need to uproot terrorism in the world, the Iranian
foreign minister said that any reaction in response to the terrorist  
operations in the U.S. should be within the framework of the United   
Nations principles.                                                   
    Referring to settlement of thousands of refugees in Iran over     
the past few years, he called on all world states, particularly the   
European countries, to provide Afghan refugees with appropriate       
assistance.                                                           
    The Islamic Republic of Iran, itself, has been victim of          
terrorism, he said criticizing the double-standard policy of the      
western states towards terrorism including their giving shelter to    
members of the terrorist Mujahedeen-e Khalq Organization (MKO).       
    He concluded by voicing Tehran's readiness to continue            
consultation with European countries over the current developments    
in the region.                                                        
    The EU mission, led by Belgian Foreign Minister, arrived in       
Tehran on Tuesday.                                                    
    The delegation, is visiting the country as part of a five-day     
regional tour of Pakistan, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Syria.       
    Michel is accompanied by Spanish Foreign Minister Josep Pique,    
who takes over the EU presidency in January, European Commissioner for
External Relations, Chris Patten, and Solana.                         
FS/LS                                                                 
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