Ahmadinejad: Turkey, Iran Inseparable; U.S., Israel Plans Failed; Recognizing Israel Will Worsen Middle East Problems

In meetings on the sidelines of the 11th summit of the Organization of the Islamic Conference in Dakar, Senegal, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad met yesterday with Arab League secretary-general Amr Moussa, with Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, and with Turkish President Abdullah Gul.

In his meeting with Bouteflika, Ahmadinejad said that "The only way for the regional states to get rid of the Israeli occupation is to resist expansionism and occupation... Any concession to enemies would end in further pressures and sufferings for regional states and would encourage their enemies." He added that the devaluation of the U.S. dollar on international markets was a sign of the collapse of U.S. power, as was the case with British colonialism.

In his meeting with Moussa, Ahmadinejad said, "Any measure [towards] recognizing the Zionist regime will lead to worsening problems in the Middle East region." He referred to the growing resistance of states in the region against occupation and hegemony in the Middle East as well as the changing situation in the region, saying that anyone who did not understand those changes would be seriously damaged.

He added, "The Zionist regime dreams of expanding its occupation from the Nile to the Euphrates, and the regional states must, by resisting the Zionist regime, make it regret its dream."

In his meeting with Gul he stressed that Iran and Turkey are two brotherly countries which no one can separate. He added, "We consider Turkey's development as our own development."

Source: IRNA, Iran, March 14, 2008

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