GENEVA (IRNA) – The secretary general as well as president of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) on Tuesday underlined expansion of ties between the entity and Iran.

In a meeting with Iran’s Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani on the sidelines of 121st meeting of the IPU, the president of the entity called for further assistance from parliaments across the world, especially that of Iran, to the IPU to be able to continue its activities.
The next IPU meeting will be held in Geneva in 2010, he said.
The world faces many challenges and IPU believes that a power balance does not exist in the world, he noted.
“Iran is an important country to us,” he said, noting that due to lack of a power balance, certain countries mount pressure on others.
Secretary of the IPU Anders B. Johnsson in his meeting with Larijani underlined excellent ties between the entity and Iran.
“We have always defended and will defend Iran’s Majlis,” he noted.
Larijani, for his part, said that IPU can serve as a dynamic center for all parliaments provided that it can express its opinions about significant international issues.
Larijani further noted that if IPU adopts neutral stance on international issues, its activities will be of no use.
Referring the deplorable situation facing people in Afghanistan and Ghaza, he said that if international bodies fail to voice their protests, no change will take place in the status quo.
Calling for unification of the laws in some cases such as fighting organized crime he underlined that in today’s world terrorism cannot be addressed by militarism.
An Iranian parliamentary delegation headed by Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani arrived in Geneva on Sunday to attend the 121st Inter-Parliamentary Union General Assembly meeting in Geneva, Switzerland from October 19 to 21.
The IPU is the international organization of Parliaments. It was established in 1889.
The Union is the focal point for world-wide parliamentary dialogue which works for peace and cooperation among nations and for establishment of democracy.
The IPU supports the efforts of the United Nations and works in close cooperation with it. The Union also cooperates with regional inter-parliamentary organizations, as well as with international intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations which are motivated by the same ideals.