S'pore FM: Use entire potentials for expansion of ties with Iran

According to IRNA Wednesday night news team, the Media Head Office of Foreign Minister further reported Singapore's Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Law K. Shanmugam as saying in his Wednesday meeting with visiting Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister in Asian and Oceania Affairs Seyyed Abbas Araqchi, 'Iran is an important country in the Middle East.'

Araqchi who is in Singapore to participate at the 1st session of Iran-Singapore Political Consultative Committee delivered the written message of the IRI Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali-Akbar Salehi to his Singaporese counterpart Mr. Shanmugam during the meeting.

Noting that the friendly relations of Iran and Singapore are rapidly expanding, Araqchi expressed delight over the matter.

He also noted that the expansion of comprehensive relations in political, economic, and cultural relations fields is the two countries' political officials' strong will, emphasizing that ever more deepening of bilateral relations is a necessity.

The 1st session of Iran-Singapore Political Consultative Committee was convened in presence of Singapore's deputy interior minister in political affairs and IRI deputy foreign minister in Asia and Oceania affairs, in Singapore Tuesday.

Seyyed Abbas Araqchi and his Singaporese counterpart Bilahari Kausikan evaluated and surveyed the various dimensions of the two countries' relations in political, economic, and cultural fields, both emphasizing their two countries' resolute will for their comprehensive expansion.

In the meeting also the regional, international, and particularly Middle East and East Asia developments were surveyed.

In this round of negotiations Araqchi elaborated on the latest status of Iran-5+1G nuclear talks, emphasizing that in case the western countries would truly have good will, achieving compromise during the next round of negotiations would not beyond imagination.

Deputy Foreign Minister Kausikan, too, in the meeting announced his country's support for the Islamic Republic of Iran's nuclear rights within the framework of the nuclear NPT, asking for diplomatic solution of the relatively emerged disputes.

During the meeting, the two sides underlined the two countries' resolve to further expand ties and cooperation.

Araqchi also attended the Rajarnam School of International Studies affiliated to Singapore National University and elaborated on Islamic Republic of Iran's peaceful nuclear activities at a gathering of university professors and students, as well as a number of Singaporese diplomats.

He also stressed Tehran's basic and strong opposition against the manufacturing, proliferation and stockpiling of entire types of weapons of mass destruction (WMD), including the horrendous nuclear weapons, and has event chanted the motto: Nuclear Weapons for None, Peaceful Nuclear Energy for All at many international conferences.

Iranian and Singaporean officials have recently increased their contacts in a move to boost bilateral trade ties and cooperation.

In February, Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani stressed the necessity for the further expansion of relations between Iran and Singapore, and underlined the Iranian parliament's support for closer ties between the two sides.

Speaking at a meeting with Chutai Su here in Tehran at the time, Larijani said that parliament 'fully backs expansion of parliamentary cooperation between the two countries'.

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