TEHRAN -- The Iranian President Seyed Mohammad Khatami is to pay a visit to Kyrgyzstan in the first half of the year 2002, a Kyrgyz newspaper reported on Friday.

The Daily **Vechernii Bishkek** quoted Kyrgyz President Asgar Akayev as saying that his Iranian counterpart would visit the Central Asian republic.

The fifth session of the Iran-Kyrgyzstan Joint Economic Commission is to be held shortly in Bishkek, the newspaper said adding that a 40-strong Iranian delegation would arrive in Bishkek next Monday for talks.

The Iran delegation would be headed by Minister of Post, Telegraph and Telephone (PTT) Ahmad Motamedi, IRNA reported.

Cooperation in the domains of customs affairs, fight against illicit drug trafficking, information dissemination and police cooperation is among the main topics to be discussed in the forthcoming session, the daily said.

Iran and Kyrgyzstan have a political will to boost bilateral relations. The existing trade relations between Iran and Kyrgyzstan are growing with a satisfactory pace. Different Iranian companies including those of Khorasan Province are active in different trade projects in Kyrgyzstan.

According to another report, President Khatami will pay an official visit to Greece on March 13-15.

The announcement was made in Athens on Wednesday after the meeting of Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou with Iranian Parliament Vice-President Mohammed-Reza Khatami, Greek media reported Thursday. Mohammad-Reza Khatami expressed satisfaction over the good level of Greek-Iranian relations and the convergence of views on a number of regional issues during his talks with Papandreou.