thr 050                                                               

Belgium-Iran      /POL/                                               

    Belgian FM's visit to Iran to further boost bilateral ties       

Brussels, June 5, IRNA -- The upcoming visit of Belgian Foreign       

Minister Louis Michel to Iran will further expand and boost           

Belgian-Iranian ties, a top Belgian Foreign Ministry official         

told IRNA Wednesday.                                                  

     ''The visit will further intensify our bilateral relations.      

Moreover, Belgium is very actively supporting the EU's comprehensive  

dialogue with Iran,'' Cohen Vervaeke, the official spokesman of the   

Belgian Foreign Ministry, told IRNA.                                  

    Michel's official visit to Tehran from June 10-13 will be the     

first by a Belgian foreign minister in ten years on a bilateral level.

     He visited Tehran as part of EU Troika in the aftermath of the   

September 11 attacks in the US.                                       

    ''It is quite an important visit to Iran,'' said Vervaeke, adding 

that the Belgian minister will hold a series of meetings with top     

Iranian officials..                                                   

    Michel is to meet President Mohammad Khatami, foreign minister    

Kamal Kharrazi and Majlis (Parliament) Speaker Mehdi Karroubi and     

discuss bilateral ties and international issues.                      

     Belgian-Iranian commercial transactions are also very active.    

Belgian exports to Iran are valued at around 283 million dollars      

annually, while Iran is the second-largest exporter of oil from the   

Middle East to Belgium.                                               

      Vervake said Belgium supports Iran's candidacy for the          

membership in the WTO.                                                

      Relations between Tehran and Brussels are witnessing a          

gradual expansion.                                                    

      Belgian Parliament President Hermann de Croo visited Tehran     

last December to boost bilateral parliamentary relations. A number    

of Iranian officials have visited Belgium in recent months.           

     Belgian minister of employment, Laurette Onckelinx, is expected  

to visit Tehran in July.                                              

     Last month, Belgium and Iran signed a customs cooperation        

agreement, while the two countries are currently negotiating a        

bilateral agreement on investment.                                    

     Belgian-Iranian talks during Michel's visit will also cover      

consular aspects, such as readmission of refugees.                    

     On international issues, Belgium has taken note of Iran's        

contribution in the fight against global terrorism and in the         

reconstruction of Afghanistan.                                        

     ''Belgium does not believe in isolating Iran, but on the         

contrary to integrate Iran in the international community,'' noted the

foreign ministry spokesman.                                           

    Vervake said some difficult issues will also be raised during     

talks in Tehran, such as Iran's position towards the Middle East peace

process, human rights, democratisation, and proliferation of weapons  

of mass destruction.                                                  

NK/KS                                                                 

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::irna    20:34