Iran Aims to Boost Ties with Continent

(BuaNews)- Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki, says Tehran has the political will to boost its ties with African countries. Minister Mottaki who arrived in Malawi on Thursday said bolstering ties with African countries is among the top priorities of Iran’s foreign policy.

Speaking during his meeting with Malawi’s President Bingu Wa Mutharika the minister said Iran is fully ready to broaden the scope of its cooperation with this African state in all potential fields of common interest.

The Iranian official presented a message from Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to Mr Mutharika and extended an invitation to the Malawian head of state to visit Tehran.

The Malawian President referred to the rich history and culture of Iran and praised Iran’s efforts to expand bilateral relations.

President Mutharika singled out agriculture and tourism as suitable grounds for cooperation with Iranian companies and said his country will provide facilities for them.

He also pointed to the recent speech of the Iranian President in the General Assembly of the United Nations, in which he said Iran and any other independent country has every right to use modern technology as recognised by the UN. - BuaNews-IRNA

Interpol adopts joint anti-terrorism measures

Marrakesh - The 76th General Assembly of Interpol has adopted a series of measures aimed at promoting co-operation among its 186 member states in fighting terrorism and trans-border crimes.

The participants agreed on Thursday to create a reference centre for vulnerable targets.

Reporting to the Interpol Secretariat General, the centre will facilitate technical assistance and exchange of good practices to protect possible targets of terrorist acts and criminal attacks.

The meeting also adopted other recommendations calling for the use of public appeals to track alleged perpetrators of sexual abuse against children, and the creation in every National Central Bureau of a contact point for international investigations on fugitives.

These contact points will treat requests submitted by member countries in terms of localisation and arrest of fugitives and promote international co-operation in this field.

The participants also agreed to create a new sub-regional bureau in Yaoundé, Cameroon, to cover the Central African region, bringing to six the number of Interpol sub-regional bureaus in the world after those at Abidjan, Harare, Nairobi, Buenos-Aires and San Salvador.

Speaking at the closing session of the assembly, Interpol President Jackie Selebi called upon members to consolidate their co-operation in order to guarantee security and stability for people.

Mr Selebi, who is also South Africa’s National Police Commissioner, underlined that the Marrakesh meeting was also an opportunity to strengthen co-operation ties between Interpol and Morocco’s security services.

The meeting, which coincides with the 50th anniversary of Morocco’s membership in Interpol, brought together some 600 delegates from 145 countries.

Besides tackling the issues of paedophilia and human trafficking, participants also discussed the phenomenon of forgery.

The next General Assembly will take place in the Russian city of St Petersburg.

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