Russian and Argentine Foreign Ministers Meet Today in New York

Both countries are looking for a democratic restructuring of the UN Security Council, as well as the organization in general
Argentina would ask Ivanov to mediate with Iran, after both countries broke off ties when Teheran's former ambassador to Buenos Aires was arrested in connection with the bombing of a Jewish Club in Argentina's Capital.

Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov will meet his Argentine counterpart Rafael Bielsa, today, as part of his agenda during the UN General Assembly in New York. The meeting comes only 15 days after PRAVDA.Ru anticipated that Buenos Aires was looking for a Moscow's mediation in the conflict that the South American country has with Iran, in connection with the investigation of the terrorist attack against a Jewish Club that left 85 dead in 1994.

Official sources confirmed to the local press that Bielsa would discuss this issue with Ivanov today. The Argentine Government is looking for alternatives to reassume talks with Teheran, as would eventually offer that diplomats involved in the case could be tried in third states.

Buenos Aires' bid counts with the approval of the local Jewish community (third world's largest) and has been discussed with the US American Jewish Committee. FM Rafael Bielsa wants to follow the model applied with Libya after the attack to a Pan Am plane that fell in the Scottish town of Lockerbie and left 270 killed. A Scot tribunal in The Hague tried Libyan citizens involved, after a bilateral agreement.

As already reported by PRAVDA.Ru, tension between Argentina and Iran has increased since the former Iranian ambassador to Buenos Aires, Soleimanpour was arrested in London. Argentina's courts say Soleimanpour was behind the blowing of the AMIA Jewish club in Buenos Aires in 1994. Last week, London courts released Soleimanpour, but Argentina insists on his extradition.

The position of the Argentine government is to leave the case to the justice and not to interfere in the investigations carried on by local Judge Juan Jose Galeano. However, Galeano has been seriously questioned for the actions taken to unveil the truth on the attack, as many voices are skeptical about the foundations for the prosecution of the Iranian diplomats. As long as PRAVDA.Ru could know, even the Argentine Government is skeptical about Galeano's procedure, and that could explain Buenos Aires' cautious attitude towards Teheran.

Iran is an important trading partner of Argentina. Last year, the Middle Eastern nation was the first destiny for Argentina's huge wheat production. According to estimations bilateral trading reached $300 millions in 2002.

Russia and Argentina cooperate in many fields, as nuclear development, cultural exchange, space issues and economics. Also, both countries are looking for a democratic restructuring of the UN Security Council, as well as the organization in general, as share mutual interests in Middle East.