Speaker Holds Talks with Iranian Delegation

The speaker of the House of Peoples’ Representatives has received and talked with Iranian delegation led by vice minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran on 12 Dec. 2007.

The speaker of the House of Peoples Representatives hon. Ambassador Teshome Toga has noted that the existing strong relation of Ethiopia and Iran would keep up ever than before so as to effectively employ the bilateral agreements signed between the two countries.

As far as the existing relation of Ethiopia and Eritrea is concerned, the speaker underlined that Eritrea has rejected the five point peace initiative proposal presented by Ethiopia via the approval of the parliament that would enable settling the factual boarder dispute between the two neighbors with peaceful dialogue and negotiations.

The intervention of Ethiopian troops in Somalia with the call of the Transitional Government of Somalia and with the approval of the House of peoples’ Representatives is with a view of fighting against terrorism, he explained.

Besides, withdrawal of Ethiopian armed forces from Somalia would destabilize the existing peace therein if exercised before the peacekeeping forces of United Nations and African Union replace Ethiopian troops, he underscored.

Meanwhile, vice minister of foreign affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran his Excellency Mr. Mohammed Reza Bagheri on his part said that the current encouraging parliamentary relations of the two countries should keep up in a bolstered manner.

Furthermore, his Excellency Mr. Mohammed underscored that Iran will exert its efforts to consolidate and cement the economic and political relations of the two nations.

Moreover, the government of Iran will back up the ongoing promising economic development carried out in Ethiopia, he reaffirmed.