Source:

August 22, 2010

TEHRAN – President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says Iran is “seriously” seeking to expand its ties with African countries, particularly Senegal.

Ahmadinejad made the remarks in a meeting with Senegalese Foreign Minister Madicke Niang here in Tehran on Saturday.

A closer Tehran-Dakar cooperation will serve the interests of the two countries as well as Muslim states, the president opined.

Niang, for his part, expressed his country’s readiness to foster bilateral cooperation.

Iran and Senegal are ‘reliable economic partners’

Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki also held talks with his visiting Senegalese counterpart on Friday.

Mottaki told Niang that Iran and Senegal are “reliable partners” in terms of economic cooperation.

Holding joint commission summits can accelerate the implementation of agreements signed between the two nations, Mottaki opined, highlighting the importance of the two countries’ private sectors for a further economic cooperation.

Commenting on the latest regional and international developments, Mottaki said Senegal, as the chairman of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), can play a key role in resolving Muslim nations’ problems.

For his part, Niang expressed his satisfaction over Tehran-Dakar close cooperation and called for a quick implementation of the joint projects.

The top Iranian and Senegalese diplomats also talked to reporters in a joint press conference on Friday night.

The Senegalese foreign minister expressed his happiness over the launch of the Bushehr nuclear power plant, saying the startup of the plant proved to the world that using nuclear energy for peaceful purposes must be considered as a reality.

The Bushehr nuclear plant was launched on Saturday as engineers began loading nuclear fuel into the reactor under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Mottaki also said Iran, as a signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), has the right to produce nuclear fuel for power plants that it intends to build and possibly export extra fuel to other countries.

Mottaki went on to say that Iran has always been supporting the campaign for a global nuclear disarmament and proven its commitment to this principle by hosting a disarmament conference.

Tehran hosted an international conference on nuclear disarmament entitled Nuclear Energy for All, Nuclear Weapons for None from April 17 to 18, 2010.

Mottaki said some self-proclaimed “pro-nuclear disarmament” countries have played roles in arming other states with such weapons in the past.

“Actions speak louder than words,”" Mottaki stated.

Iran’s chief diplomat said an international convention is needed that would make it illegal for any country to produce, possess or use nuclear weapons.

Niang also said all countries should prove their commitment to global nuclear disarmament.

Asked about Iran’s upcoming talks with Vienna group (the United States, Russia, and France), Mottaki said the exact date of the negotiations will be announced after consultations with the International Atomic Energy Organization (IAEO)