TEHRAN, Apr. 20 (Mehr News Agency) – Iran's Deputy Interior Minister for Security Affairs Abbas Mohtaj on Sunday said that the security agreement between Iran and Turkey is ready to be signed by the two sides' interior ministers.

"Now, this memorandum of understanding is ready for signature by the ministers of the two countries," Mohtaj told the Mehr News Agency.

The draft agreement includes fight against terrorism, organized crime, and drug trafficking, extradition of criminals, and maintenance of border security, Mohtaj noted.

Last week, Mohtaj held talks with Turkey's Interior Ministry Undersecretary Osman Gunes at the 12th Iran-Turkey High Security Commission meeting in Ankara.

"The increase in some terrorist activities in the region will damage both countries, and the most effective way to tackle this problem is intelligence and security cooperation," read an MOU signed by the two sides.

During the meeting, the two neighbors discussed measures to deal with threats posed by the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and the Party for a Free Life in Kurdistan (PJAK), a PKK offshoot operating in Iran.

The two countries agreed to hold the next meeting of the Turkey-Iran High Security Commission next April in Tehran.

... Payvand News - 04/20/08 ...