AMIR OF QATAR VISITS IRAN TEHRAN, OCT 23 (KUNA) -- QATAR'S AMIR SHEIKH HAMAD BIN KHALIFA AL THANI, VISITING HERE TUESDAY, SAID HIS TALKS WITH IRANIAN PRESIDENT MUHAMMAD KHATEMI DEALT WITH ISSUES RELATED TO THE ISLAMIC WORLD.
SPEAKING BRIEFLY TO REPORTERS AT MEHRABAD AIRPORT UPON HIS ARRIVAL, THE AMIR DISCOUNTED THAT THE PURPOSE OF HIS UNANNOUNCED VISIT WAS TO CONVENE AN ISLAMIC SUMMIT CONFERENCE (HE IS CURRENTLY PRESIDENT OF THE ORGANIZATION OF ISLAMIC CONFERENCE), NOR TO DELIVER A MESSAGE FROM THE U.S. TO IRAN, NOR TO CONSULT IRAN ABOUT ASKING THE SECURITY COUNCIL TO CONVENE TO DISCUSS THE PALESTINIAN PROBLEM.
HAVING TALKED TO KHATEMI FOR TWO HOURS AND TO OTHER IRANIAN OFFICIALS AS WELL, THE AMIR SAID " WE DID NOT CENTER ON ANYTHING SPECIFIC; RATHER WE EXCHANGED VIEWS ON A NUMBER OF ISSUES OF GENERAL CONCERN." ASKED BY REPORTERS IF HE DISCUSSED WITH IRANIAN OFFICIALS THE MAKE-UP OF A POST-TALIBAN GOVERNMENT IN AFGHANISTAN, HE SAID " THE SUBJECT DOES NOT CONCERN QATAR WHICH THINKS IT IS BEST LEFT TO PEOPLE OF AFGHANISTAN TO DECIDE WHAT FORM OF GOVERNMENT THEY PREFER." (END) NASH.AJS KUNA 231751 Oct 01NNNN