Kyiv and Tehran: common interests

The Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran is holding Ukraine’s first Week of Iranian Culture in Kyiv. The program includes displays of 20 Iranian arts and crafts, culture, national music, works of decorative art, ethnic costumes, famous Persian carpets, Iranian movies, a puppet show, and traditional cuisine. What does Tehran expect from this project? What are the prospects of Ukraine-Iran cooperation with the new Ukrainian administration? How can Ukraine have access to Iranian oil and gas? Below Akbar QASEMI-ALIABADI, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Ukraine, is interviewed by The Day.

Akbar Qasemi-Aliabadi: “We are witness to the beginning of the third phase in the history of relations between Iran and independent Ukraine. I, as ambassador, and my esteemed Ukrainian counterpart, Mr. Samarsky, in the Islamic Republic of Iran, will make every effort to help both peoples learn more about each other by holding the Week of Iranian Culture in Ukraine, and one of Ukrainian culture in Iran early next year.

“The first phase lasted for 14 years of Ukrainian independence, when our bilateral contacts and cooperation were quite fruitful. The second one has taken the past five years, regrettably marked by stagnation and freezing. Now we’re into the third phase that requires impulses from various social spheres. Above all, we have to create a favorable public opinion in both countries, so we can get closer together. Then it is necessary to determine the potentialities of both countries, so we can decide on fields where both sides could effectively collaborate on a mutually advantageous basis.

“We’re planning two large-scale trade and industry exhibits next year, inviting Iranian companies to Ukraine, and an exhibit in Iran that will feature Ukrainian companies, so we can figure out our business cooperation potential. Over the past five years quite a few spheres where both countries could have effectively collaborated remained unexplored, notably science, education, technologies, industries, and trade. I feel confident that cultural projects, exhibits — particularly trade-and-industry ones — will give an impetus to our bilateral contacts and relations in all spheres.”

Would you please share some statistics, particularly in terms of trade turnover?

“The current turnover rate conforms to neither the potential of both countries, nor their geostrategic locations. Much as I regret to state this fact, the contacts between our peoples remain insufficient. Our peoples know little about each other. Both our countries are striving to protect their genuine independence, so they should combine efforts and help each other in reaching this goal and raising living standards.

“Our peoples reproach us for failing to work hard enough to do so, and this addresses me as Iranian ambassador to Ukraine, as well as my esteemed counterpart in Iran. We’re faced with a number of tasks to be solved to reach this goal. Iran has cancelled entry visas with Azerbaijan and Georgia. We have to make every effort to simplify personal mobility procedures in our countries; otherwise there won’t be any increase in contacts in various spheres.

“Whereas Iran-Russia’s commodity turnover amounts to 3.5 billion dollars; that with Belarus and Kazakhstan, to some 2.5 billion dollars, along with 14 billion dollars worth of business deals with Turkey, the logical question is how come Iran and Ukraine, both having developed infrastructures, have failed to develop economic contacts above one billion dollars?”

Mr. Ambassador, what industries could raise this level to one billion dollars?

“A variety of industries, like processing, machine-building, power-engineering, aircraft, energy supplies — in terms of oil and natural gas export, production of railroad parts, scientific and student exchange programs. Add here energy carriers re-exports, transit, and tourism.”

You have just mentioned energy carriers exports. Is your country prepared to join the NABUCCO project that envisages gas supplies to Western Europe?

“To begin with, building pipelines that would lack supply doesn’t make sense. These would be empty pipes that would have to be filled and used in a full payload mode. Countries that have enough oil and gas deposits can both operate these pipelines and use them to influence the overall situation in the energy sphere. Second, such projects require investments. Third, the transit countries must have a stable political situation. All these factors relate to Iran and the Russian Federation, in some or other way, considering that both countries are major energy suppliers. The prospected resources of the South Pars/North Dome field constitute 17 percent of the world’s oil reserves. Practically all large oil companies are standing in line there.”

What are Ukraine’s prospects of being supplied with Iranian oil and gas — and possibly re-exporting them to other European countries?

“Iran has proposed cooperation in the energy supply sphere to Ukraine, considering that foreign companies are operating in the North Dome field. From what I know, the Ukrainian side is interested, but Iran is waiting for arrangements to start this kind of cooperation. Several rounds of talks have been held. Arrangements have to be made for a visit to Iran by a Ukrainian delegation led by a deputy minister [in the field].”

Would you comment on the routes of Iranian oil and gas supplies to Ukraine [if and when]?

“There are a number of routes [to supply oil and gas] to Europe — through Turkey, Georgia, Iraq, and Syria. Generally speaking, there are numerous possibilities. Our experts are negotiating such deals. Now and then they become skeptical and this slows down the transportation process.

“Generally speaking, such matters should be dealt with by experts. They should handle the talks, provided the Ukrainian side places the whole issue on the agenda.”

While this issue is being negotiated, Venezuela may start large-scale oil supplies to Belarus and Ukraine.

“Iran is developing strong relations with Venezuela; there is a powerful consortium with that country and Iran welcomes Venezuela’s progress in oil exports to various countries. Quite a few Iranian experts are involved in the development of Venezuela’s oil fields. It is safe to assume that Iran and Venezuela have common interests in this field. We also believe that our interests in this sphere are common with those of Ukraine. There is a very big market demand for oil and gas, so a diversification of the supply sources won’t cause severe competition. On the other hand, there is a big difference between oil/gas export and transit costs in regard to such remote Latin American countries as Venezuela, compared to Iran. There is a pipeline to Armenia and Iran is planning another one to Batumi, Georgia. Once this pipeline is functional, Iran will start supplying gas to Ukraine across the Black Sea.”

Mr. Ambassador, aircraft engineering is another area of cooperation between Ukraine and Iran. It begun in the mid-1990s. A contract was signed in Isfahan, whereby HESA (Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company) had to start producing between 10 and 12 AN-140s this year. How is this project faring?

“I would first point out that combined efforts in the field of aeronautics is one of the symbols of our cooperation. Both sides have spared neither time nor energy, or even blood working out this cooperation. Remember the tragedy that occurred in 2002, when people representing the aircraft manufacturing elite died in a plane crash at Isfahan?”

Yes, I do.

“Six Iranian specialists died when testing this aircraft model in the next couple of years. These are sacrifices made while moving forth on the road of our cooperation, asserting our independence, serving to make our ties stronger. I wholeheartedly pay tribute to all those specialists who paid with their life for furthering our cooperation in the aircraft sphere. In the course of about 14 years of our cooperation in this sphere, we have produced 12 AN-140’s. Our specialists have worked together with their Ukrainian counterparts and paid with their lives to pave the way for an effective cooperation with your country. My country believes that Mr. Yanukovych is one of the architects of industrial cooperation between our countries.

“Proceeding from the accords and arrangements made over the past three months, Iran expects collaboration in the aircraft sector to register about one billion dollars, as announced by Mr. Dmytro Kiva, Chief Designer of ANTK (Ukrainian abbreviation for Antonov Aeronautical Scientific/Technical Complex. — Ed.), during this year’s air show. I mean leasing and joint manufacture deals involving AN-148 and AN-158 aircraft. At the same time, Iran believes that progress made in the aircraft sphere will serve to enhance cooperation in other spheres.”

How long do you think research will take?

“I think that, after leasing the AN-148 and launching the AN-158, through with the output procedures, it will become clear that both models meet the criteria established in my country. It should be noted that between three and four countries have proposed cooperation with my country in terms of aircraft manufacture, but Iran has chosen Ukraine, considering our long-term collocation in this sphere and having laid the necessary foundations for further combined aircraft-manufacturing efforts.”

You said this is the third phase in Ukraine-Iran relations, so it stands to logic to expect a summit. When do you think this top-level meeting will take place?

“Progress is especially effective where decisions can be made on the highest level; it is then that cooperation shows the best results. There have been many visits on the presidential, parliamentarian, and ministerial levels (the latter registering several such visits at a time) between our countries over the past 19 years. We must use the first opportunity to take effective steps during this third phase, to organize and renew contacts between the ranking officials of both countries.

“In regard to the start of a new phase in our relations, it should be noted that Ukrainian government officials are taking their time responding to Iranian proposals. This could also be my first impression, considering the new administration, which is busy carrying out reforms within some Ukrainian agencies. Anyway, if this process takes too long, Iran may call the whole thing into question. I have been repeatedly approached by media people asking why such important steps haven’t been taken, why there is no adequate response from the Ukrainian government.”

You said Ukraine’s first deputy prime minister will visit your country before long.

“I heard this from ranking Ukrainian officials, but no formal steps have been taken. For example, I met with Mr. Tihipko, the deputy prime minister of Ukraine in charge of the economy, and I heard that arrangements were being planned for a Ukrainian delegation, led by your Deputy Prime Minister Andrii Kliuiev, to visit Iran.”

Did you extend a formal invitation to the president of Ukraine?

“Visits by heads of state certainly contribute to the progress of friendly relations, but this requires considerable preparatory work. As soon as my country receives this signal from Ukraine, indicating a desire for a visit on this level, every effort will be made to secure this visit.”

A signal? In other words, President Yanukovych should formally invite his Iranian counterpart, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, to visit Ukraine?

“There is no avoiding certain protocol procedures and the Ukrainian president’s invitation would certainly be in line with them. With regard to [your president’s] visit to Iran, another session of the Intergovernmental Trade Cooperation Commission would be instrumental in making arrangements for such a top-level visit.”

Ukraine, at one time, discarded its nuclear power status. Today, most of the countries regard Iran as a country struggling to gain this status. Why can’t Iran convince the international community that it is simply trying to “master the peaceful atom,” that the nuclear fuel it’s producing is meant for nuclear power plants?

“I would like to point out that only several countries — the US, the UK, and France — keep accusing Iran of using its peaceful nuclear program as a front [for a military one]. These countries don’t make up the international community of nations. The fact remains that 112 non-aligned countries recognized Iran’s right to develop peaceful nuclear technologies. Also, 13 International Atomic Energy Agency experts visited Iran’s nuclear project and reported no deviations from peaceful usage regulations. Each such facility is equipped with round-the-clock security cameras. Regrettably, the world media are creating a very negative image of my country, with expansionist views in mind. Iran is known to have never sought to develop nuclear arms. My government doesn’t regard this as an effective weapons system. Iran believes that possessing nuclear weapons isn’t expedient. Iran is member of the IAEA and abides by its regulations.

“Can all those countries with advanced media networks seek to deny other countries their right to develop nuclear power engineering? Iran, for example, is proud to see Ukraine, with its advanced nuclear power engineering being used in the agrarian, medical, power-plant-fuel sectors, while meeting 50 percent of this country’s power needs, using its nuclear power plants. Would you allow any country to make you discard your nuclear energy program in what I would describe as a despotic manner?”

Russia and China have joined the sanctions.

“Russia and China are in a situation where they may have to accede to such formal acts, although my country doesn’t accept this attitude. Iran is convinced their decision to accede was a formal move. Moreover, these sanctions have no effect whatsoever on my country. All I can say, they are providing fresh opportunities for our progress.”

What about your President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad saying recently that the Iranians would have to tighten their belts?

“This matter relates not to external sanctions but to the legitimate use of subsidies and other kinds of aid meant for the popular strata that really need them. There was also the matter of certain surgical measures to be taken to cure the Iranian economy, in conjunction with the privatization campaign and possible price hikes. Yet none of this had anything to do with the international sanctions. Here one ought to note the fact that the US believed Iran depended on petrol imports, and that those sanctions would affect Iran. As it was, adequate measures were taken, so we could meet our domestic petrol supply demand within a month. We can also export our petrol.”

How does Iran see its future, now that the rest of the world seems resolved to upgrade?

“It is our belief that Iran will advance relying on the three components.

“First, self-sufficiency. Without securing ourselves all kinds of products we need, without support from local resources, there is no guarantee for our cooperation. Second, furthering professional research projects, showing progress in the sphere of education, considering Ukrainian folk talents. Third, the principle of justice — in other words, making the man in the street feel good all over about Ukraine. Our economic model is rooted in these basic kinds of public/government, corporate, and private ownership. Iran keeps its door open for all other countries, except those that are still fighting to reach their aggressive and expansionist goals.

“Considering that man, with his character and noble ideas, is the main criterion of progress in my country, and that my country is relying mainly on the principle of justice, and on the principle of understanding and mutual respect, in Iran’s relations with other countries, I believe that this model, based on this principle, could be one worth being emulated by other countries.”