Akbar Hashemi's Memoirs - October 14, 2002

Report of the trip to Kermanshah, from participating in the congress commemorating Martyr Ashrafi Esfahani, to reviewing the situation of the borders and the implementation of development projects.
Full Text of the Daily Notes:
We flew from Tehran [Mehrabad] Airport to Kermanshah at seven-thirty in the morning. Several representatives of the province and [Mr. Ahmad Masjed Jamei], the Minister of [Culture and] Islamic Guidance, and [Mr. Mohammad Ali Nezamzadeh], the Head of the Endowments [and Charities Organization], were accompanying me. A short interview regarding the goals of the trip took place at Kermanshah Airport; namely, participation in the congress commemorating Martyr Ayatollah [Ataollah] Ashrafi [Esfahani], review of the border situation and important provincial projects, and negotiations with officials and clerics, after greeting the welcoming party.
We went to the technical school to participate in the ceremony. [Mr. Ahmad Torknejad], the Governor General, the representative, the Minister of Guidance, the Friday Prayer Leader, and the son of Martyr Ashrafi welcomed us and provided reports. I also gave a detailed speech about the clergy, Kermanshah, and the fifth Martyr of the Mihrab.
We went to the Governor General's office for lunch and rest. Along the way, the Friday Prayer Leader, Mr. [Mohammad Hossein] Zarandi, and the Governor General, Mr. Torknejad, provided explanations.
In the afternoon, we went to the location of the LAB [raw material for detergents] project under construction [Bisotun Petrochemical Company]. Engineer [Mohammad Reza] Nematzadeh, [Deputy Minister of Oil and CEO of the National Petrochemical Company], explained. It is being implemented with 80 billion Tomans to produce 50,000 tons of valuable products. We visited parts of it.
Then we went to the site for the implementation of the paper factory project [West Paper Industries Company]. It is planned to produce paper from poplar wood planted in four western provinces of the country, and second-hand paper factory machinery has been purchased, and it is currently being discussed whether to build the factory with these or buy new machinery. Mr. Engineer Yazdani explained the program for planting poplars and producing paper pulp. We then visited the factory for producing glazed and colored paper, and also the poplar nurseries and sample farms.
At night, the provincial council was gathered at the Governor General's office. The Governor General and Representatives [Ms. Naseri-Pour and Messrs. Mohammadi, Shirzadi, and Allahyari] of Eslamabad, Uramanat, Qasr-e Shirin, Kermanshah, and the Director General of Health spoke. I also spoke about the importance of reconstruction, preserving the dignity of the Revolution, and managers.
After dinner, Messrs. Farid and Derakhshan, the Head and Deputy of the Servants of Construction Party [in Kermanshah Province], arrived. They said that today people believe that the right path is the one the Construction Government followed, and therefore the Servants of Construction are receiving attention.