MOHAMMAD KHATAMI INVITES VLADIMIR PUTIN TO IRAN








MOSCOW, March 12, 2001. /From RIA Novosti correspondent Oleg Osipov/. Iranian President Mohammad Khatami told a press conference following Russian-Iranian talks that he had invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to Iran.


	According to Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov, the two presidents have instructed the foreign ministries of their countries to negotiate the date of the upcoming visit.


	Commenting on results of the talks, Putin called them "satisfactory" and added that, as Iran is one of the leading countries in its region, Russian-Iranian contacts are a significant aspect of international relations.


	Part of the conversation was dedicated to economic relations, said Putin. Both presidents agreed that it was necessary to diversify bilateral economic links, mostly those related to energy, aviation, advanced technologies, construction of power supply installations and thermoelectric power plants in Iran. According to the Russian president, Russia and Iran will develop their relations on the basis of internationally accepted norms.