LOC09:36
06:36 GMT
LONDON, June 29 (KUNA) -- The Islamic Republic of Iran has addressed a new
diplomatic gesture toward the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia intended to thaw the icy
ties between the two regional giants.
In remarks published on the front page of London-based Saudi newspaper,
Ash-Sharq Al-Awsat on Wednesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi
said Tehran is looking forward to restore the ties with the Kingdom on more
solid basis, indicating that "there have been no actual problems in the
bilateral relations between the two sides."
Salehi, in the remarks to the Saudi mass-circulation, made on sidelines of
a ministerial conference of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) in
Kazakhstan, said the "misunderstanding" between Riyadh and Tehran was result
of the lack of face-to-face meetings between officials of the two countries.
Recent regional events constituted some of the causes that strained the
normal ties between the Republic and the Kingdom, said Salehi, whose remarks
were highlighted by the widely-read Saudi newspaper.
Salehi added, "We hope that, when circumstances turn adequate, to sit
together and resolve the problems, and hold candid conversations, because I
believe that the misunderstanding resulted from the lack of holding bilateral
meetings.
"Such misunderstanding wouldn't have existed had we held bilateral
meetings, and I am quite optimistic because we have maintained good relations
with Saudi Arabia since a long time ago and we hope that these ties turn
stronger in the future."
Meanwhile, Ash-Sharq Al-Awsat said that there was an official declaration
in the Kazakh capital, changing the name of the Islamic organization from the
OIC to the "Organization of Islamic Cooperation."
The organization new logo will depict the Earth, ornamented in the center
with the Holy Kaaba, and surrounded by the Crescent.
Moreover, the newspaper published excerpts of a statement, addressed by
Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev at the inauguration session of the
Islamic organization, on Tuesday, calling for greater joint efforts to achieve
development and progress in the Islamic world. He also attributed the
political turbulence in the Arab and Islamic countries to diverse social and
economic problems. (end)
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