President: Iran, Djibouti enjoy commonalties in int’l issues

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said here Sunday that Iran and Djibouti enjoy common stances on political and international issues. Ahmadinejad made the remark after a ceremony held to officially welcome his Djiboutian counterpart Ismail Omar Guelleh who arrived here Saturday on a three-day visit at the head of a high-ranking politico-economic delegation. “In our talks, we will discuss new grounds for more cooperation between the two countries,” the Iranian president said. He added that Djibouti is a brotherly country to Iran and “we regard the progress of Djibouti our own progress.” He expressed Iran’s readiness to support and exchange experience with Djibouti, saying Tehran and Djibouti enjoy very good, friendly and consolidated ties. “Common activities and works between the two countries are less than their current potentials. We are willing to make use of the most potentials,” Ahmadinejad said. Pointing to his meeting with Guelleh on July 2, 2006, on the sidelines of the 7th Summit of the African Union (AU) in Banjul, Gambia, the Iranian president said, “Guelleh’s visit to Tehran will cause a jump in economic relations and expansion of ties in different areas.” Guelleh, for his part, told reporters that he carries message of friendship between the two nations. The Djiboutian president expressed his country’s determination to bolster all-out ties with Iran, saying Tehran and Djibouti have potentials to boost bilateral cooperation with respect to Djibouti’s membership in various international organizations. The first round of talks between Ahmadinejad and Guelleh started immediately after they spoke to reporters.