Iran Asks to Become an ALBA Observer Member

Iran has requested becoming an observer member of the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas (ALBA), in a meeting with the foreign ministers of Cuba, Venezuela, Bolivia and Nicaragua, who were present at the Non-Aligned Movement meeting recently held in Teheran.

During the meeting, Iranian foreign minister, Manoucher Mouttaki, noted that ALBA is a model of development and cooperation based on the principles of solidarity and mutual respect.

He also pointed out that the foreign ministers David Choquehuanca (from Bolivia), Felipe Perez Roque (from Cuba), Samuel Santos (from

Nicaragua) and Nicolas Maduro (from Venezuela) have met for the first time outside from Latin America since ALBA's foundation in December 2004.

The Venezuelan foreign minister noted that ALBA has already produced fruits and talked about the literacy method "Yes, I can", created by Cuba, and the Operation Miracle eye surgery project which has benefited a million low-income people in Latin America.

Maduro announced a commercial-industrial exhibition to take place in Teheran organized by the member states of ALBA and Iran, and noted that a new era has arrived for turning projects into reality.

Cuban foreign minister Perez Roque said that the second ministerial-level meeting of the ALBA Council will take place in Havana on September 20-21. The main topics for debate will be the creation of a secretariat and an ALBA bank, proposed by the Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez.