India keen to improve ties in all spheres with Iran

External Affairs Minister Inder Kumar Gujral said on Friday that India was keen on stepping up the entire range of its relations with Iran.

"It is our common desire to give an impetus to economic and technical relations between India and Iran," Gujral said soon after arriving in Teheran on a two-day official visit.

During his stay in Teheran, Gujral will attend the ninth session of the Indo-Iranian Joint Commission on Saturday and review bilateral ties in the political and economic spheres.

The joint commission will be co-chaired by Gujral and his Iranian counterpart, Ali Akbar Velayati.

Apart from his talks with Velayati, Gujral will also meet President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani and other Iranian leaders.

In his discussion with Iranian leaders, Gujral will, among other things, discuss the situation in Afghanistan, which is of concern to both countries.

"We have been in regular contact with our Iranian friends on this issue. Peace and stability in Afghanistan is of great importance to the region. We are committed to the independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and unity of Afghanistan," he said.

Gujral said he believed Iran could also play an important role in the Indian Ocean Rim initiative, to which India attaches great importance.

Gujral said the high-level delegation of officials from various ministries and government agencies accompanying him indicated India's strong desire to develop a mutually beneficial relationship with Iran.

He said it also emphasised the wide range of cooperation in economic, technical, scientific, and cultural fields that existed between the two countries.

The Indian delegation to the talks includes Foreign Secretary Salman Haider.

Gujral said India and Iran must seize the tremendous opportunities for enhancing bilateral trade between them.

He noted that bilateral trade had grown by 50 per cent in the current year and expressed confidence that this upward trend could be sustained.

''The establishment of an Indo-Iranian Chamber of Commerce is also indicative of our seriousness in expanding our trade relations,'' he said.

Gujral is expected to brief the Iranian leadership about the situation in Kashmir and the rapid progress towards normalcy in the troubled state after the recent assembly elections.

The joint commission will review progress made so far on some significant projects in the fields of railways and petrochemicals that are already at an advanced stage of discussion between the two countries.

These include a 350 million dollar joint venture fertiliser project planned by the two countries in the free trade zone on Iran's Qeshm island.

Two Indian companics, IFFCO and KRIBHCO, will hold 30 per cent each of the equity in the venture while the rest will be held by the Qeshm Free Area Authority. India has offered to buy back the entire production of urea from the plant.

India is also in the run for a major railway signalling project in Iran. ''I believe that our railway companies are in a position to make a significant contribution to the development of the Iranian railway network,'' Gujral said.

He noted that the two countries had been having discussions since 1993 on the laying of a pipeline to transport gas to India from Iran's vast reserves.

"A project of this nature and magnitude involves complex studies which would have far-reaching implications. The process of examination is under way,'' he said.

Gujral said a trilateral agreement between India, Iran, and Turkmenistan on transit for trade was at a conclusive stage.

''Iran is a significant gateway to Central Asia. The agreement will facilitate movement of goods between the parties. I hope that we will be able to arrive at an agreed text during my visit," Gujral said.

UNI