Kuwait's ruler Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah in a meeting with visiting Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki here Saturday said Iran is a central axis in the region and that it always pursues all matters with great understanding.
At the meeting, he expressed satisfaction with meeting President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in New York and Kuwait and hoped that his future visit to Tehran will be planned by the foreign ministers of the two countries.
Turning to Iran's status in the region and the world, he said, "We respect Iran and are interested in further expanding the growing trend of cooperation with it." Concerning Iran's nuclear issue, he said that his country believes that access to nuclear technology is the legitimate right of Iran and assessed the measures taken by Iranians to secure the safety of Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant as positive.
About Ahmadinejad's letter to US President George W. Bush, he said that it had some fruitful impacts and has improved Iran's status in the view of world public opinion.
Sheikh Al-Sabah declared his support for formation of a permanent government in Iraq and hoped that it will manage to put an end to Iraq's insecurity.
For his part, Mottaki submitted Ahmadinejad's written message to Kuwait's Emir and hoped that his future visit to Iran will open a new chapter in bilateral ties between the two neighboring states.
Expounding on Iran's nuclear activities for peaceful purposes and the safety standards taken in Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, he said that the highest safety standards are used in this power plant under the supervision of the UN nuclear watchdog.
Briefing the Kuwaiti Emir on the history of Iran's nuclear activities and the latest developments in the sector, the minister said, "At present, we have two options. We should either concede Iranians' national rights and interests or defend the legitimate rights of the nation and put an end to the current anxieties.
"We believe that diplomacy is the best and most logical way, given that we intend to avoid any crisis. At the same time we are determined to defend the nation's right to access nuclear technology for peaceful purposes." Mottaki pointed to the priorities on the agenda of the joint commission and said that issues pertaining to the continental shelf, energy and water are most important to both sides.
The minister pointed to Palestine and said the oppressed Palestinian people are leading a difficult life and based on no logic and criteria do the dual approach of US and West either correspond to the democratic achievements in the country or the policy of Hamas government. "Disregard for the Palestinians rights is against any principle.
Given their task and responsibility in this regard, Islamic states should hasten in support of the Palestinian people and their government-elect.
"They should also attempt to further increase their financial and humanitarian aid to the Palestinian government," he added.
Mottaki stressed the importance of supporting Iraq's current political trend and its exchange of views with neighboring countries on promoting peace and withdrawal of foreign troops.
He hoped that the Tehran meeting of states neighboring Iraq will pave the way for extending further help to the Iraqi nation.