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Rafsanjani underlines Tehran-Baku cooperation

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  • Rafsanjani underlines Tehran-Baku cooperation

    IRNA, Iran
    January 25, 2005 Tuesday 1:23 PM EST

    Rafsanjani underlines Tehran-Baku cooperation

    Tehran


    Chairman of the Expediency Council (EC) Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani and
    visiting Azeri President Ilham Aliyev on Tuesday underlined the firm
    determination of Tehran and Baku to upgrade the level of mutual
    cooperation.

    At the meeting, Rafsanjani referred to amicable relations between
    Iran and Azerbaijan during the tenure of the former Azeri president,
    late Heidar Aliyev, expressing hope that bilateral relations would
    further expand in the future.

    He underlined Tehran-Baku close relations given cultural and
    religious commonalties between the two nations, citing Iran`s
    assistance to the Azeri nation during the Karabakh crisis and the
    relief aid donated by the Azeri nation to quake-stricken people in
    the cities of Bam and Roudbar as good examples of mutual cooperation.


    A violent earthquake measuring 7.7 on Richter scale rocked the
    northern city of Roudbar and neighboring areas in Gilan province on
    June 20, 1990, killing and wounding more than 77,000 people and
    almost razed the city to the ground.

    A quake measuring 6.8 on Richter scale shocked the ancient city of
    Bam in southeastern province of Kerman on December 26, 2003, killing
    tens of thousands and flattening the city to the ground.

    The most ancient mud-brick citadel of the world, Arg-e Bam, was
    almost destroyed.

    The EC chairman called for expansion of mutual cooperation in
    economic, transit and trade areas and expressed hope that the
    agreements in energy fields would be seriously followed.

    He also expressed hopes that the Karabakh crisis would be settled at
    the earliest time.

    President Aliyev, for his part, termed as appropriate the level of
    relations between Iran and Azerbaijan, saying that the two countries
    can play more effective role in the region by strengthening mutual
    relations.

    He stressed that his visit to Iran is aimed at promoting relations in
    political, economic and defense areas.

    He appreciated Iran`s positive stance towards the Karabakh crisis,
    expressing hope that peace and stability would return to the region
    after the rights of the Azeri people are vindicated.

    The Republic of Azerbaijan also includes the Nagorno-Karabakh
    Autonomous Oblast which is largely populated by Armenians but does
    not legally constitute part of Armenia.

    Following the dissolution of the USSR, hostilities intensified in
    Nagorny Karabakh in 1990s.

    . Aliyev arrived here Monday morning for an official three-day visit,
    his first since taking office.

    He and his delegation were welcomed at Mehrabad International Airport
    by Iranian Minister of Cooperatives Ali Soufi.

    An official welcome for the Azerbaijan president was held at Sa`dabad
    Cultural Complex Monday evening.

    Azerbaijan`s ministers of foreign affairs, industries, education,
    health and development are accompanying Aliyev in this visit.

    President Aliyev, since his arrival here yesterday, has held talks
    with Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali
    Khamenei, his Iranian counterpart, Mohammad Khatami, and other senior
    officials including Majlis Speaker Gholam-Ali Haddad Adel.

    Talks between the two sides have focused on bilateral relations as
    well as regional and international developments.

    Iran and Azerbaijan during President Aliyev`s stay will sign several
    documents for expansion of bilateral cooperation in the economic,
    cultural, and health fields as well as on border security.
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