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Former Spanish PM says Iran poised for economic development |
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Thursday, 15 June 2006Former Spanish prime minister Felipe Gonzales said here Wednesday that Iran has all the elements needed to achieve tremendous economic development.
At a meeting with Foreign Minister Manuchehr Mottaki, he added that Iran has ample resources, talented manpower and an accessible huge market which "are all pertinent factors in economic development of countries."
He said the current backdrop for economic growth in Iran is more promising than Spain's in the 1980s when this European state entered its remarkable development phase.
He further said Iran's economic development would redound to the benefit of regional nations.
Gonzales, who is a high-ranking official in Spain's Socialist Party and an influential figure in Spanish politics, said "I believe Iran has the right to have access to nuclear energy."
He called on Iran to have a positive view of the package of incentives offered by the six powers (5+1 Group) which was handed over to Tehran by EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana last week.
Gonzales said Iran should strive to gain the confidence of the international community over its nuclear program.
In the meeting, which took place in the Iranian embassy in Madrid, Mottaki said "nuclear weapons have no place in our defensive doctrine."
"We are very sincere in what we say," he added.
Referring to Iran's policy during the eight-year Iraqi-imposed war, he said that although the enemies repeatedly deployed weapons of mass destruction (WMD) against the Iranian people, "our country was not after such armaments."
He recalled an agreement signed by Iran with the US on nuclear cooperation before the Islamic Revolution which explicitly recognized Iran's right to have peaceful nuclear energy.
However, Mottaki regretted, "Washington, instead of honoring its obligations after the victory of the revolution, says that Iran should not be allowed to have nuclear energy."
He also referred to Iran's cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) over the past many years.
"We have made efforts to respond to all questions posed by the nuclear watchdog," Mottaki said, and further reminded of Iran's decision to suspend uranium enrichment for three years.
"But after three years they asked us to give up our legal right.
If this was the intention, then we did not have to go through three years of negotiations."
On the new proposals presented to Iran by the 5+1 Group, Mottaki said they have "some positive aspects as well as some ambiguities" and are still being studied by Tehran.
He said Iran would definitely give its response to the new offer in the near future.
Mottaki praised Gonzales as "a renowned Spanish and European politician who has a realistic view towards Iranian culture and civilization" and invited him to visit Iran which invitation Gonzalez accepted.
Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki arrived in the Spanish capital Madrid on Wednesday to discuss latest developments in Iran's nuclear case and the 5+1 Group's package of incentives with high-ranking Spanish officials.
Mottaki on Wednesday also met with his Spanish counterpart, Angel Moratinos.
He described Spain as an "important European Union member state which has played a good and positive role in the Middle East." "I will discuss Iran's nuclear case as well as the regional situation, especially developments in Iraq, Palestine and
Afghanistan, with Spanish officials," Mottaki told reporters upon his arrival.
He is also due to hold interviews with a number of leading Spanish media.
Spain's high-ranking officials have reiterated Iran's right to access nuclear knowhow for peaceful purposes and welcome Washington's decision to negotiate with Tehran to resolve the current nuclear dispute.
IRNA Thursday June 15, 2006
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Thursday, 15 June 2006
Iran
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