Brussels, 10/09/2001 (Agence Europe) - After Monday's meeting in Brussels between the EU High Representative for CFSP, Javier Solana, and Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi, the EU Council President, Louis Michel, declared that the Union was "in favour of speeding up negotiations with a view to signing a trade and cooperation agreement", but that, "of course, efforts should be made regarding human rights, asylum and immigration". Mr Michel pointed out that, during the meeting, both parties also tackled issues such as the problem of Afghan refugees, the fight against drugs, the Middle East conflict and terrorism, and stressed the importance of this meeting as it is the "first visit by the Iranian Foreign Minister since 1979", the year when the Islamic Republic of Iran was set in place. Mr Kharrazi recalled on this occasion his position regarding the Middle East conflict, namely the need for Israel to put an end to aggression and for prime importance to be granted to the refugee problem.
EUROPE will come back to the meeting between Mr Kharrazi and Mr Patten.
Amnesty International said in a press release that it was highly concerned by the dramatic return of public executions in Iran this year. "There were 105 executions during the first eight months of the year, 28 of which took place during August", writes Amnesty International.