TEHRAN, Feb. 27 (MNA) � Swiss President Johann Schneider-Amman in a Sat. presser with Iranian counterpart Rouhani vowed to help Iran to obtain full membership to World Trade Organization.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani held a press conference with Swiss President Johann Schneider-Amman on Saturday and informed reporters of various topics the two sides discussed during their bilateral meeting here in Tehran.

President Rouhani first noted the concurrence of President Schneider-Amman�s visit to Iran with the 2016 Parliamentary and Assembly of Experts elections which draw millions of people to the ballot boxes on Friday and went on until late hours after midnight.

�One major principle that brings Iran and Switzerland close is believing in independence, national sovereignty, democracy, and this very election, all of which serve as the main pillars to these countries� close ties,� said President Rouhani.

He went on to appreciate Swiss people and government for their hospitality during nuclear talks and the periods that lead to Geneva agreement and the Lausanne agreement.

Of topics discussed between the two sides, President Rouhani put special emphasis on economic cooperation including the activation of the Swiss banks in relation to the Central Bank of Iran, export insurance, industry, agriculture, transport, aviation, as well as cooperation on other areas such as culture, academia, science and research, and innovation in hi-tech and modern technology.

Rouhani referred to Iran�s application for World Trade Organization (WTO) membership in 2005 and its status as WTO observer ever since, saying Switzerland has vowed to help with the process of Iran�s full membership in the organization.

He also added that the trade agreements between the two countries that had remained unfinished in the past years will now be considered to be completed; six MoUs related to scientific and technological fields will also be signed between the two parties.

President Rouhani then talked about the important issue of human rights, especially those related to the maltreatment with Muslims in certain European countries due to �Islamophobia� as well as the immigration crisis in Europe that has compromised the wellbeing of the refugees fleeing from war and terrorism. He stressed that the human rights status has not reached a desirable level in any country, but cooperation among all in the world can help improve it.

On regional issues, the two sides conferred on the difficult situation for people in Syria, Yemen, Libya, Afghanistan, and Pakistan and further cooperation and consultation in the fight against terrorism and the implementation of the WAVE resolution.

�Iran and Switzerland have agreed to increase humanitarian aids to Syria and Yemen, especially now that Syria is on the verge of a ceasefire,� said Rouhani.

President Rouhani further stressed that the two countries had no conflicting views on bilateral and regional issues, and the visit of the Swiss President and his accompanying delegation will open a new chapter for more cooperation.

Schneider-Amman, for his part, noted that his visit was the first time a Swiss president has visited Iran, saying the visit shows 140 years of friendly ties that was actually celebrated in 2014 in Switzerland.

�We have drawn a roadmap consisting close activities and cooperation in many areas that wil help us to take step by step measures in implementing the MoUs and other joint projects,� said President Schneider-Amman.

He extended his country�s full support for the implementation of the JCPOA and congratulated all that had a part in bringing the nuclear deal to a conclusion.

He maintained that Swiss economy has a keen interest in expanding ties with Iran, saying �I told Mr. Rouhani that we could only bring 40 people on this visit to Tehran due to our small population, but we expect you to bring 400 delegations to our country due to the 80 million population of Iran.�

He went on to add that topics including legal security, intellectual property, avoiding unnecessary paperwork, and facilitating visa insurance would better help with expanding economic cooperation. He also vowed that Switzerland would help Iran obtain full membership in the WTO.

He finally expressed hope for the establishment of Tehran-Geneva direct flights as a clear sign for better economic ties between the two countries.

By Mehr News Agency