Ahmadinejad Pays High-Level Visit to Belarus

May 21 (EIRNS)--Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad paid a state visit to Minsk today, accompanied by the Iranian foreign minister, commerce minister, lawmakers and the director of an Iranian automobile company, the relations between the two countries have reached the level of a "strategic partnership," Belarus president Alexander Lukashenko said. Lukashenko had, himself, visited Teheran last November. "Belarus is ready for cooperation in all directions," Lukashenko added. "We have huge potential (for cooperation) in the long-term perspective,"

Ahmadinejad said in televised comments upon arriving at Lukashenko's headquarters. "The strengthening of relations between Belarus and Iran fosters support for regional and global security." Belarus possesses a rather developed machine tool industry, specializing in automobile and tractor production, as well as being one of the world's leaders in heavy earth-moving equipment. Belarus has also expressed interest in developing one of Iran's oil fields in the southern province of Jofeir. The Iranian president will tour the ultra-modern Belarus National Library and will visit several Belarussian enterprises.