Apr 19, 2005, 12:20 AM

EU has strategic and security interests in Iran: MEP

TEHRAN, April 19 (MNA) -- Member of the European Parliament Angelica Beer, who traveled to Tehran as head of the European Parliament Delegation for Relations with Iran, told the Mehr News Agency on Monday that the European Union has strategic and security interests in Iran.

She added that regardless of all the religious and cultural differences, a peaceful future can be established with other countries, which would be in line with security and strategic interests as well.

 

She said that the EU has held negotiations with Turkey to discuss terms for its membership, but noted that there were some disagreements. Beer also elaborated on the viewpoints of the opponents of Ankara’s accession to the EU, stating that they opposed Turkey’s membership because the EU would then become the neighbor of Iran, Iraq, and Syria, which they accuse of being sponsors of terrorism.

 

However, Turkey’s membership in the EU would have some long-term benefits and the issue will be studied within the framework of the evolution of the Middle East, she added.

 

She also condemned the military attack on Iraq, saying, “We believe that it is not possible to establish democracy in a country through a military attack, and the current situation in Iraq proves that.

 

“We believe that appropriate solutions can be reached through diplomacy and negotiations… We can establish a peaceful future with all countries.”

 

She went on to say that the EU has always been in favor of Iran’s accession to the World Trade Organization.

 

It would be better for Iran to join the WTO than to not be a member of the organization, she observed.

 

During her three-day visit to Iran, Beer met several high-ranking Iranian officials, including Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Assefi, Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Committee Chairman Aladdin Borujerdi, MPs Effat Shariati, Rafat Bayat, and Elham Aminzadeh, Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Committee Deputy Chairman Mahmud Mahmudi, and presidential advisor Zahra Shojaei.

 

SA/HG

End

 

MNA

News ID 10988

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