War (of Words) with Syria
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Thursday, May 08, 2003
[This will be the first visit by a president of Iran to Lebanon since 1979.]
Iran, Lebanon to ink agreements during Khatami's upcoming Beirut
visit
IRNA -- May 8
Beirut -- Iran and Lebanon reviewed draft agreements
that are to be finalized shortly, it was announced Wednesday.
In a meeting Wednesday, Iran's Minister of Housing and Urban
Development Ali Abdolalizadeh and head of the Iran-Lebanon Joint
Economic Commission and the Lebanese Minster of Commerce Marwan
Hemadah, Minister of Finance Fowad Siniorah and Head of the central
Bank Riaz Salamah reviewed the draft bilateral agreements.
Heads of several key organizations of Lebanon as well as Iran's
envoy to Beirut Masoud Edrisi were also present in the meeting.
Talking to reporters after the meeting, Hemadah said the talks
between the Iranian and Lebanese officials were in fact intended to
prepare documents and agreements that would be inked during the
upcoming visit to Lebanon by the Iranian President Seyed Mohammad
Khatami.
He said the plan by the Iranian president to visit Lebanon is an
indication of the Iran-Lebanon brotherly links.
He said agreements on the sports, youth affairs, energy, customs
and trade transactions are to be signed during the residential visit.
He thanked the Iranian authorities for opening credit line for
Lebanon adding that the credit documents are to be inked during the
visit too.
Abdolalizadeh also termed as positive the results of his talks
with the Lebanese officials and said talks on the preparations of the
presidential visits were pretty fruitful.
The Iranian minister said Iran is to provide a 50-million dlrs
loan to Lebanon adding that the loan is to be spent to implement four
major developmental projects in Lebanon.
Construction of some slaughterhouses, roads and implementation of
energy and water supply systems projects are among these developmental
plans, he said.
He said the Khatami trip would be a turning point in the
political, economic and cultural ties between the two countries.
He thanked the Lebanese officials for making proper preparations
for Khatami's visit.
President Khatami is to visit Lebanon shortly to discuss the
all-out Tehran-Beirut bilateral ties as well issues of mutual
interest.
During his visit that will be performed at the official invitation
by Lebanese President General Emile Lahoud, Khatami will ink several
bilateral agreements with Lebanese authorities.
This is the first visit to Lebanon by an Iranian President since
the aftermath of the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran.
Khatami who is to lead a ranking delegation to Beirut will discuss
the developments in the region and in particular the Iraqi issue.
The two sides are expected to exchange views on a wide spectrum of
issues including the Middle East current situation, the latest
developments in Iraq and Palestine and the actions by the Zionist
regime in the wake of the collapse of the Iraqi regime.
Commenting on the presidential visit to Lebanon, Iranian
Ambassador to Beirut Masoud Edrisi earlier told IRNA that during his
three-day stay in Lebanon, the Iranian president will receive Iranian
scholars, top clerics, politicians and academics living in Lebanon.
The ambassador said the Lebanese have a strong interest in the
Islamic Republic of Iran since they are quite aware that among the
Muslim and regional states it was Iran which has stood beside Lebanon
in tough times.
They are also quite aware that Iran has played a key role in the
construction of the infrastructures of Lebanon, the envoy added.