Rafsanjani confers with former Turkish premier

Tehran, April 14, IRNA

Former Turkish prime minister Necmettin Erbakan conferred on Monday
with Chairman of Expediency Council Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani on
matters of mutual interests as well as the ssues pertaining to world
Muslims.

At the meeting, Rafsanjani highlighted the effective measures taken by
the former Turkish premier during his tenure on expansion of ties
between the two countries such as construction of Iran-Turkey gas
pipeline.

Ties between Iran and Turkey are rooted in their historical, cultural
and religious commonalities, he said and called for bolstering of such
ties.

Lauding the active role of Erbakan in the world of Islam mainly his
initiative to form G8 grouping and said that Islamic countries through
collective cooperation could play a much more active role in regional
and global developments, Rafsanjani said.

The decisive support of the Turkish people and its government for
people in Gaza indicated the depth of Islamic beliefs and their
justice-seeking spirit, he said.

It is incumbent upon Muslims to forge unity to successfully cope with
current problems facing the Muslim world, he said.

Erbakan, for his part, underlined that Islam has played a very
prominent role in the welfare and prosperity of human beings.

Cooperation among world Muslims and their proper reaction to global
developments could play a vital role in global decision-making in the
interest of Muslims, he said.

He called for more cooperation and unity among Islamic states mainly
people in Lebanon and Palestine to strongly deal with the threats of
the Zionist regime against world Muslims.

End