Iran — an important economic and political partner of EU: European think tank
BRUSSELS: A leading European think-tank has underlined the important role and position of the Islamic Republic for the European Union, and also acknowledged the great influence of Islam in shaping European civilization, IRNA reported from Brussels.
“Iran is a very important country for the EU. As the EU develops its own independent foreign and security policy, its relations with Iran will become more important,” said John Palmer, political director of the Brussels-based European Policy Centre, in an interview with IRNA.
“This is a country of immense culture, potentially a very important economic and political partner of the EU,” said Palmer, a widely-respected analyst and former political editor for many years for the British paper The Guardian in Brussels.
He said the full democratization of Iran would be very important not only politically but in strengthening Iran’s economic international impact. “We know that the reform process is yet incomplete. We think that the interest of all Iranians lie in completing that process.” He said that Iran has a very considerable influence in the region and the Islamic world particularly in the world of Shia Islam. The European Policy Centre, he noted, is an independent think-tank founded seven years ago, operating at the level of the EU and focused on how EU policy be evolved and improved.
The active cooperation of Iran is very important to resolve the problems in Palestine, Iraq, Afghanistan, and terrorism, he said. Palmer pointed out the difference in EU-US approach towards the Islamic Republic.
The EU’s policy has been one of dialogue and engagement with Iran, he said, adding that “We did not agree with the ‘axis of evil’ characterization by the Bush administration.” He, however, pointed to Europe’s concern about Iran’s nuclear programme.
The European Policy Centre, Palmer said, is working on a comprehensive dialogue between Europe and the Islamic world. “We owe a great debt to the Islamic world. Our civilisation, the renaissance, the scientific revolution, the re-learning of the Classics came to Europe from Islamic world.”
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