Iran, Austria Agree on Distinction of TerrorismIran and Austria on Thursday agreed that fight for liberation should be differentiated from terrorism in the wake of an international campaign against terrorism, the official IRNA news agency reported.After two and half hours of talks with visiting Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel, Iranian President Mohammad Khatami told reporters about their consensus on the issue. The two sides "are unanimous over the fact that there should be a distinction between those who fight for the liberation of their lands and those who cause the death of innocent people through resorting to terror," he said. "Both the Iranian and Austrian sides strongly condemn terrorism in all its shapes, believing that the root causes of the phenomenon should be identified and stemmed," he added. The Iranian president emphasized "concern over the fate of the oppressed Afghan people who have been subject to tough rulerships for a long time and now have come under other military attacks." During the "fruitful" and "successful" talks, the two sides also agreed to activate their economic cooperation, the president said. "We will continue to promote our ties with Austria as a reputable member of the European Union in bilateral, regional and international fields," he said. Schuessel's visit is the first ever by an Austrian chancellor to Iran. The Austrian chancellor agreed that his talks with Iranian officials "helpful" and "fruitful," saying both countries believe that serious measures for further dispatch of humanitarian aid should be taken to address the plight of the Afghan people. The Austrian chancellor left here for home later Thursday. Local analysts noted that Schuessel's visit came on the heels of trips by German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer, Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to Tehran over the past two weeks, indicating Iran's particular role in solving regional and international crises. |
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