Mottaki: Iran to broaden ties with African states

Tehran, Dec 22, IRNA - Visiting Foreign Minister of Togo Koffi Essaw and his Iranian counterpart Manouchehr Mottaki in a joint press conference here Sunday
called for expansion of ties between the two countries.

Mottaki said the Iranian Foreign Ministry has drawn out a draft plan
for expansion of cooperation with African countries and passed it to
the government for final approval.

God willing, after approval of the government, the ministry will place
it on its agenda, Mottaki said.

Welcoming restoration of stability and security to Togo after 15
years, he voiced Iran's readiness to broaden ties with the country and
help implement industrial and economic projects there, he said.

Iran and Togo share identical views on regional and international
developments, he said, adding that "We are to import phosphate and
other items directly from African states instead of European middlemen."
Togo is to import Iranian made products through commercial, technical
and engineering fairs mainly in the fields of dam construction and
power plants, Mottaki said adding that promotion of relation with Togo
is among Iran's priorities.

"We are to have direct trade exchanges with African countries and get
rid of western middlemen who have monopolized import and export of
goods with African countries," he said.

The African continent with ample God given natural resources has been
target of colonial powers, he said, adding that Iran is to broaden and
bolster friendly ties and cooperation with African states.

Iran is now conducting feasibility studies to launch an ractor
assembly line in Togo and it is expected that its products would
easily saturate African markets, Mottaki said.

The Iranian foreign minister warned aliens powers against their
behavior in the region and advised them to revise their attitudes and
actions.

People of the region pursue current developments in the region mainly
those in Afghanistan, he said.

"We believe that the region is now in a very sensitive situation and
the regional nations are of the opinion that developments in Pakistan
and India as well as unrest in the region are interrelated," Mottaki
said.

"We advise the trans-regional powers not to repeat their past
mistakes," he said.

On signing of a security pact between the US and Iraq, he said "Iran
wants the Iraqi people to administer their own fate as soon as
possible."
"We believe that the Iraqi people have the final say in dealing with
all affairs," Mottaki underlined.

Togo's foreign minister, for his part, welcomed expansion of
cooperation with Iran which he said had spared no efforts to
reconstruct the country as well help restore stability and tranquility
to the country.

In the new era of national reconciliation, reconstruction of the
country's economy and bolstering democracy, the country is facing
various challenges, he said, adding that expansion of ties with Iran
would be very helpful to this end.

"I would like to voice my sincere appreciation for Iran's assistance,
to the Iranian president, government, foreign minister and nation," he
said.

Iran and Togo have very good cooperation on human rights issues, he
said adding that "We believe that human rights should not be misused
as an instrumental tools to serve political motives." Human rights
issues should not be dealt with in a selective way but they should be
in line with international cooperation, he said.