By IRNA
Tehran : President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said here Sunday that the UN General Assembly is an important venue for presenting views of nations.
Talking to reporters prior to his departure for New York, he added that the UN General Assembly is a major effective and influential gathering which is held annually and in which officials rom various countries set forth their stands and viewpoints.
The General Assembly is also a good opportunity for presenting the Iranian people’s clear views regarding the problems of the world and materialization of peace and tranquility, the president reiterated.
On the agenda of his trip, he said he is scheduled to meet senior officials of participant delegations on the sidelines of the meeting.
Such meetings will bring about good chances for expansion of bilateral and multilateral relations with world states, the Iranian president noted.
He added that talking with independent and popular US scholars will be among other programs of the visit.
Ahmadinejad further announced that delivering a speech at Columbia University and holding discussions with a number of American Muslim, Jewish and Christian leaders will be among his other programs.
Heading a high-ranking delegation, President Ahmadinejad left Tehran for New York this morning to take part in the 62nd session of the United Nations General Assembly.
During his stay in New York, the president is scheduled to address the assembly and hold talks with the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.
The president will also have interviews with a number of leading US media.
Meanwhile, he is to hold talks with Iranian expatriates residing in New York.
Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki left Tehran for New York on Friday to take part in the UN General Assembly session.
Minister of Justice and Government spokesman Gholam-Hossein Elham, several Foreign Ministry officials and a number of MPs are accompanying the president in this trip.
President Ahmadinejad will proceed to Bolivia following his New York visit and will have an stopover in Venezuela.