Turkish FM underlines importance of nuclear-weapon free region

Turkey's Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Wednesday underlined importance of protecting the region from nuclear weapons.

Turkey is against nuclear weapons whoever develops them and for whatever reason, said Davutoglu at a joint press conference with his Iranian counterpart Manouchehr Mottaki after their talks in the Turkish capital of Ankara.

"Turkey believes Iran has equal rights with all other countries to develop nuclear technology for peaceful purposes," he said.

Davutoglu said they discussed Iran's nuclear program and other issues of common concern, particularly the upcoming elections in Iraq, and developments in Palestinian territories and Afghanistan.

Davutoglu also said there was a permanent consultancy mechanism and culture between Turkey and Iran, noting that Turkey and Iran were determined to maintain cooperation on Afghanistan.

For his part, Mottaki, who arrived in Turkey on Tuesday, said that a threat against Turkey would amount to a threat against Iran and vice versa, noting that any threat to the security of Iran wound amount to a threat to the security of Turkey.

He said there was a great cooperation in several areas between Turkey and Iran, noting that the two countries had a common point of view regarding security issues in the region.

Mottaki said that swapping low-enriched uranium with uranium enriched at 20 percent was a formula which could build confidence.

Source: Xinhua