Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad here Saturday morning called for stronger bilateral and multi-lateral cooperation among the world's Muslim states.
Addressing the fifth summit of the D-8 (Group of 8 developing Muslim states) in the Indonesian island of Bali, the president said formation of new, balanced regional and international blocks among Muslim countries would increase their ability to achieve their economic, scientific and industrial gaols.
Heads of state of eight developing Muslim states, known as the D-8, started their fifth summit meeting here Saturday morning.
The group includes Iran, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Turkey, Malaysia, Pakistan, Nigeria and Egypt.
The first and fourth summits of the D-8 were held in Istanbul, Turkey in 1994 and Tehran, Iran in 2004, respectively.
"The fifth summit is taking place at a time when bullying powers are imposing unfair conditions on other countries in order to prevent them from achieving scientific, industrial and economic progress," President Ahmadinejad said.
He stressed the key role the D-8 can play in promoting the interests of member states in the international arena, a role which, he said, can also "improve international relations which are sometimes not based on justice."
The president, moreover, said that "closer cooperation through formation of new blocks among the group's member states can also promote economic activities which can lead to economic stability and counter the effects of economic shocks caused by financial foreign crises."
Praising the positive steps taken by the D-8 in previous years, the president said greater cooperation among its member states will help them play a more effective and influential role in international markets.
"Iran is ready to cooperate with the group in new projects in the fields of environment, tourism, energy, exchange of experts and regulation of financial markets," said President Ahmadinejad.
Saying Tehran had done its utmost during its presidency of the group to promote its goals and strengthen bases for increased cooperation among its member states, the president said he was now handing the rotating presidency to his Indonesian counterpart, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
President Ahmadinejad expressed hope that under Indonesia, the D-8 would experience even more progress and achieve many goals in the service of member states.
President Ahmadinejad arrived in Bali from Jakarta Friday afternoon accompanied by a high-ranking politic-economic delegation.
© IRNA 2006
