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Tehran, Dec 17, IRNA -- Iran and EU completed their two-day round-table on human rights here Tuesday.
The Foreign Ministry information and media department reported that the meeting aimed for a better understanding of human rights issues, "while striving to forge closer recognition of the two parties views."
The meeting which was held in cordial atmosphere and in lieu of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, included representatives form judicial, parliamentary and executive branches of both EU and Iran as well selected academics.
Iran was represented by Majlis deputies, representatives of the Judiciary, several Foreign Ministry officials, university professors, and non-governmental Organization (NGO) officials.
EU delegation participated with representatives of European Commission, EU Troika, and NGOs as well as university administrators.
The Iranian side put forth their views on such issues as human dignity, stressing the need for the world community to incorporate fundamental human rights values and be cognizance of cultural diversity.
The two sides also agreed that they will continue discussion in during the upcoming EU's rotating chairmanship of Greece.
The EU delegation also conferred with Majlis Commission 90 and deputy head of Judiciary for international affairs.
The EU and Iran launched a human rights dialogue in Tehran Monday which the Commission described as a 'very important new development'.
"We are today with Iran launching a human rights dialogue which is a very important new development," Commission's spokesperson for external relations, Emma Udwin, told a regular press briefing in Brussels Monday afternoon.
She said the dialogue will build on the contacts that the EU and Iran had in the past.
"We are now launching a more structured human rights dialogue where for the first time the Iranians are engaging actively in a forum with the West to discuss human rights," said Udwin.
"That is itself an important step forward because we judge what the outcome of this process will be what the result of the process will be. The mere fact that the Iranian authorities are volunteering to engage in an active process is important itself," she said.
"As a noble feature to this, Udwin noted, 'civil society on both sides will be involved'.
The spokesperson clarified that this dialogue is a separate initiative to the landmark EU-Iran negotiations launched last week on a trade and cooperation agreement along with a political dialogue.
"Although that will have a human rights clause, this dialogue is separate. It is without conditions. We are starting it to see where we go. We have one meeting now, another meeting in spring and we will see where it leads us," she added.
Officials from the Commission and the current EU Presidency, held by Denmark, are taking part in the Tehran meeting.
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