Beirut: Lebanese President Michel Suleiman said here on Tuesday that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s last year visit to the country opened a new chapter in the two countries’ bilateral ties.
In a meeting with Iranian Culture and Islamic Guidance Minister Seyyed Mohammad Hosseini and Iran’s ambassador to Lebanon Ghazanfar Roknabadi, he appreciated Roknabadi’s efforts to promote interaction between all the Lebanese parties and bolstering bilateral ties.
Suleiman also described the Conference on Islam and Christianity as the main step towards promoting proximity among the divine religions.
He also hoped that Lebanon will soon host the Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Saelhi.
Hosseini for his part, referred to President Ahmadinejad’s insistence on close interaction among the followers of all religions and said that the conference is a measure to that effect.
During his visit to Lebanon, Hosseini singed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in cultural, artistic and cinematic fields with his Lebanese counterpart Gaby Lyon.
The agreement consists of 19 clauses enshrining exchanges and cooperation between the two states in the fields of filmmaking, visual arts, printing and publication, holding exhibitions, festivals, cultural weeks and educational workshops.
Hosseini arrived in Beirut Monday and held talks with the Lebanese prime minister and parliament speaker. He also inaugurated the Conference on Islam and Christianity. (KMW News)
