3 Letters of Understanding to Be Signed During Khatami's Visit to Rome
March 9, 1999 - 0:0
ROME, Italy President Mohammad Khatami, heading a high-level delegation will arrive here today and according to the informed source Iranian and Italian officials will sign at least three letters of understanding. Iranian Ambassador to Italy, Dr. Ali Ahani addressing a press conference yesterday said Italian Foreign Minister Lamberto Dini will receive the Iranian president. Later, Mr. Khatami will be formally received by Italian President Oscar Luigi at the Presidential Palace, Ahani said Khatami will also address Italian Senate and meet with Italian Prime Minister Massimo d'Alema.
In Rome Municipal ceremony he will receive a prestigious medal that is presented to prominent and internationally famed dignitaries by the mayor. The Iranian president will also address a meeting of intellectuals in a university here. Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi and Minister of Mines and Metals Ishaq Jahangiri will accompany Khatami. Three letters of understanding will be signed during Khatami's visit to Rome covering joint effort for combating drug trafficking, scientific and technical cooperation and possible ways for the encouragement of joint investment.
Khatami will also travel to the Vatican where he will meet Pope John Paul II. Analysts say the trip will boost Khatami's philosophy for dialogue between civilizations. According to IRNA, Ahani said that Khatami's visit to Rome, as one of the most important capitals in Europe, will create a suitable atmosphere for development of relations between Iran and Europe. Ahani said that European officials were formerly influenced by propaganda offering a distorted picture of Iran to the Europeans. He said the arrangements made for the Iranian president's visit indicated the importance Italy attaches to its relations with Iran despite opposition voiced by the U.S. and certain Western officials.
He called as `historic' President Khatami's lecture to be delivered at Florence University and his meeting with the Pope. Meanwhile, Secretary of Iran-Italy Joint Economic Commission Mohammad Taqizadeh Ansari said that President Khatami's upcoming visit to Italy indicates strong determination of Iran and Italy to have durable cooperation and expand political, economic and cultural relations. Ansari said that Iran is to start new rounds of cooperation with Italy in various economic, industrial and social fields.
He referred to oil and gas, petrochemicals, manufacture of home appliances, telecommunications, processing of dimensional stones, roads and bridge building, metal, aluminum, zinc, steel, pickled hide and leather, foodstuffs and pharmaceutical, packaging, electronic and glass industries as areas of cooperation between Iran and Italy. The Iranian official cited Iran's effective and strategic role in the region and the cultural commonalties it shared with Central Asian republics as well as its pivotal position among Muslim countries due to its chairmanship of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) as some of the advantages it enjoys in the sensitive Middle East region.
In Rome Municipal ceremony he will receive a prestigious medal that is presented to prominent and internationally famed dignitaries by the mayor. The Iranian president will also address a meeting of intellectuals in a university here. Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi and Minister of Mines and Metals Ishaq Jahangiri will accompany Khatami. Three letters of understanding will be signed during Khatami's visit to Rome covering joint effort for combating drug trafficking, scientific and technical cooperation and possible ways for the encouragement of joint investment.
Khatami will also travel to the Vatican where he will meet Pope John Paul II. Analysts say the trip will boost Khatami's philosophy for dialogue between civilizations. According to IRNA, Ahani said that Khatami's visit to Rome, as one of the most important capitals in Europe, will create a suitable atmosphere for development of relations between Iran and Europe. Ahani said that European officials were formerly influenced by propaganda offering a distorted picture of Iran to the Europeans. He said the arrangements made for the Iranian president's visit indicated the importance Italy attaches to its relations with Iran despite opposition voiced by the U.S. and certain Western officials.
He called as `historic' President Khatami's lecture to be delivered at Florence University and his meeting with the Pope. Meanwhile, Secretary of Iran-Italy Joint Economic Commission Mohammad Taqizadeh Ansari said that President Khatami's upcoming visit to Italy indicates strong determination of Iran and Italy to have durable cooperation and expand political, economic and cultural relations. Ansari said that Iran is to start new rounds of cooperation with Italy in various economic, industrial and social fields.
He referred to oil and gas, petrochemicals, manufacture of home appliances, telecommunications, processing of dimensional stones, roads and bridge building, metal, aluminum, zinc, steel, pickled hide and leather, foodstuffs and pharmaceutical, packaging, electronic and glass industries as areas of cooperation between Iran and Italy. The Iranian official cited Iran's effective and strategic role in the region and the cultural commonalties it shared with Central Asian republics as well as its pivotal position among Muslim countries due to its chairmanship of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) as some of the advantages it enjoys in the sensitive Middle East region.