IRAN AND RUSSIA TO EXPAND MILITARY, ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION
By our diplomatic correspondent
Moscow 12th Jan. (IPS) Secretary of the Iranian Supreme Council for National Security (SCNS) and Vice-speaker of the Majles (parliament) hojatoleslam Dr Hasan Rohani is in Moscow to discuss future co-operation between the Islamic Republic and Russia on military, nuclear and economic fields, according to informed sources in the Russian capital.
Dr Rohani, one of the regime's most able negotiators much respected abroad arrived in Moscow on Tuesday and was welcomed by his Russian counterpart Oleg Chernov, deputy Secretary of the Russian Security Council.
But more important, he is scheduled to become one of the very few foreign dignitaries who would have met the new Russian strong man, acting President and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.
During his four-days stay in Moscow, Mr. Rohani will also meet Secretary of the Russian Security Council Sergei Ivanov as well as the Foreign Affairs and Dfence ministers.
Russia is the Islamic Republic's major arms seller and provider. The two neighbours are also engaged in close collaboration in nuclear and arms producing projects in Iran, including the construction of a nuclear powered electrical power plant in Bushehr, on the Persian Gulf, development of medium and ballistic missiles and assembly of dual purposes aircraft, including the newly designed and improved Tupolev 234.
Washington and Tel-Aviv routinely accuses Moscow of helping Iran to develop an atomic arsenal, an accusation both Tehran and Moscow rejects, saying their collaboration in nuclear field is pacific and open to internal inspections.
Moscow has sold more than US$ 6 billions of arms of all kind, from advanced Mig fighters to Illyushin heavy bombers, Tupolev transport and passenger planes, advanced radar and missile systems, T-72 tanks and three diesel propelled submarines.
The two countries also shares similar views on many international and regional issues, including opposing United States domination over the world or the situation in Afghanistan, but diverge on other matters such as the Middle East Peace Process, the legal status of the Caspian Sea or Russia's bloody war in Chehcnya
Speaking to the Iranian official news agency IRNA on his arrival in Moscow, Mr. Rohani expressed optimism about the prospects of Tehran-Moscow relations, noting that the two countries share interests in terms of the regional developments.
In that respect, Mr. Rohani observed that co-operation between Iran and Russia was "as an important as basic".
He said understanding among neighbouring Caspian Sea countries in designating a legalised regime was "necessary".
According to Mr. Rohani, Iran would never allow foreign companies to have any activities in the 20 percent of Iran's share in the Caspian Sea and will "encounter" any violations.
But observers noted that except for Iran, all other Caspian Sea bordering nations, particularly Azarbaijan, are extracting oil from the Caspian bed, using international firms.
Receiving his Iranian counterpart, Ivanov said Russia has always attached the highest importance to its relations with Iran.
He described as "positive and important" co-operation between Tehran and Moscow in the central Asian zone, Caucasia and the Caspian Sea and praised the "positive" role played by the Organisation of Islamic Conference in Chechnya.
Led by Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi, the OIC send a delegation to Moscow to "monitor" the situation in war ravaged Chechnya, but was not allowed to go the war zones.
Iran is the present leader of the OIC.
Many Muslim nations accuse the Islamic Republic's "special relations" with Moscow for the Muslim world's silence over Russia's devastating war in Muslim-dominated Chechnya. ENDS IRAN RUSSIA 12100