Russian Deputy FM : Russia's Stance On Iran Not To Change

Moscow, Feb 15 – Russia’s deputy foreign minister said on Sunday that Russia is determined to continue cooperation with Iran and its stance regarding the country will not change.

In an exclusive interview with IRNA correspondent, Alexei Borodavkin said: “Despite some countries’ demand in the Munich Security Conference for a change in Russia’s policy on Iran, Russian officials see no reason for doing so.”

Expressing his pleasure with the upward trend in Tehran-Moscow cooperation, Borodavkin said: “Russia successfully continues ties with its old neighboring country of Iran.”

He told IRNA that the launch of Bushehr Atomic Power Plant will take place according to the schedule, “It will be put into operation in August and its main contractor would be Russia’s Atomstroyexport," according to the agreement inked by the Iranian and Russian officials in 1995.

“Iran and Russia attach importance to regional security as well as stability in the Caspian Sea based on mutual intersts.”

“Economic cooperation between Tehran and Moscow is being followed in the growing trend and the volume of trade exchange between the two countries hit dlrs 3.2 billion in 2008.”

He added the two countries work on various projects in the nuclear, gas and oil fields as well.

Referring to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization that will initiate an international conference on Afghanistan in March at which Iran is to act as an observer, Borodavkin hoped Iran would play an active role at that conference and bilateral ties between the two nations would further develop.

Source : IRNA