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Chirac urges more ties with Iran

2004/01/15
IRIB English News

Paris, Jan 15 - French President Jacques Chirac in a meeting with the Secretary of Iran's National Security Council Hassan Rowhani on Wednesday said, "Paris wishes to expand ties with Tehran."

Referring to the ancient Iranian civilization, President Chirac said, "Iran has its own particular attraction and Paris favors broadening the span of its ties and cooperation with your country."

The French President added, "France and the EU wish to expand and strengthen their ties with Iran in political, cultural, and economic fields."

Referring to Iran's nuclear activities, President Chirac said, "France, Germany, and England's initiative in holding talks with Iran regarding its nuclear activities, and Russia's close cooperation in that regard ended all concerns on Iran's nuclear activities, and solved a potential regional and global crisis."

Referring to the close consultations between Paris and Moscow on Iran's nuclear activities, Chirac said, "The EU is determined that the Tehran declaration needs to be fully implemented."
He added, "The foreign policy of France is based on pursuing strategies aimed at restoration of peace and stability in the Middle East and the Persian Gulf region and Iran's cooperation in that context is welcomed."

Turning to the Iraq crisis, he said, "We too, like Iran, favor giving a broader role to the United Nations in Iraq to assist the Iraqis in the establishment of a democratic political system, relying on the Iraqi nation themselves there."

On Palestine issue and the Israeli troublesome security wall there, President Chirac said, "France is fully opposed to the construction of the wall."

On the status of the French Muslims, he said, "We have not adopted an anti-Islamic stand. We have five million French Muslim citizens in our country whom we fully respect."

Iran's Secretary of Security Council, too, during the meeting at Paris' Elisee palace appreciated the French government and nation for the sympathy they have expressed with Bam quake victims, and their generous humanitarian aid on the occasion.

He said, "The newly emerged regional and international conditions have doubly necessitated broader Tehran-Paris cooperation."

Referring to Iran's cooperation with three European countries on its nuclear projects, Rowhani said, "The case was a good example for multi-lateral approaches towards peaceful international crisis solving through holding dialogue."

He added, "The Islamic Republic of Iran, by remaining fully committed towards the implementation of the articles of the Tehran declaration has proved its sincerity in dealing with the case."

Rowhani said, "Iran and the EU, can through broadening their comprehensive cooperation, move towards solving all problems that are important for both sides, including fighting against terrorism, elimination of the weapons of mass destruction from the Middle East, and the Iraq crisis."

Referring to some of the difficulties with which the Iraqi nation are currently entangled, Rowhani said, "Establishing a puppet regime in Iraq and establishment of permanent foreign military bases in that country are dangerous plans, that seriously endanger not only Iraq's but the whole region's stability and security."

Rowhani asked France and the EU to play a more decisive role in solving the Iraq crisis by insisting on giving a broader role to the United Nations there, both in restoration of peace and stability, and in assisting the Iraqis in performing the sensitive task of the establishment of new political system.

http://www.iribnews.com/Full_en.asp?news_id=196510&n=32

Important Developments on Iran's upcoming elections -- Pilot

Iran officials to drop resignation threat - source

15 Jan 2004
Reuters

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Government officials are likely to drop their threats to resign after Iran's Supreme Leader moved to defuse a political row over parliamentary elections, a senior government source said on Thursday.

"To avoid tension in the country, those who have threatened to quit will drop their resignation threats," said the official, who was one of at least 16 members of President Mohammad Khatami's cabinet who had said this week they would step down.

The resignation threats, also made by 27 state governors, were in response to the hardline Guardian Council's decision to disqualify almost half of the 8,200 candidates hoping to run in parliamentary elections on February 20.

Most of those disqualified were reformist allies of Khatami, including more than 80 members of the 290-seat parliament.

The reformist-hardline stand-off, the worst since Khatami carried reformers to power with a shock 1997 presidential poll victory, prompted a sit-in protest by dozens of MPs and had led to some calls for the parliamentary elections to be postponed.

But Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, using his unparalleled political authority, weighed in to defuse the crisis on Wednesday, calling on the Guardian Council to review the cases of those barred from standing.

"The Guardian Council has enough time to review the cases carefully... to prevent the violation of anyone's rights," state television quoted Khamenei as saying in a meeting with members of the council.

REFORMIST SPLIT?

Protesting members of parliament said it was too soon to call off their sit-in, which entered a fifth day on Thursday.

"We will continue," said Mohammad Reza Khatami, younger brother of the president and deputy speaker of parliament.

"We have to wait to see what the Guardian Council does in practice," added the MP, who was one of those disqualified from standing for the next parliament.

Analysts said the hardliners could now move to split the reformist camp, which has rallied together against the vetoes.

The Guardian Council, a 12-member body of hardline clerics and Islamic jurists under Khamenei's control, could now appear generous by reinstating most of those it had initially vetoed.

"The hardliners don't really need to compromise, but this will be their tactic," said analyst Saeed Leylaz. "Reformists will have to give in because they don't have public support."

Opinion was divided on whether the Guardian Council would allow well-know reformist firebrands such as the president's brother to stand.

The government source predicted better-known figures would be reinstated, while analyst Leylaz said hardliners would prefer to qualify less high-profile candidates and had a blacklist of about 18 top reformists who would remain barred.

At stake is control of parliament which conservatives lost to reformists in 2000 elections.

Hardliners fear reformist causes such as a free press, free speech and women's rights will undermine the system of clerical rule in place since Iran's 1979 Islamic revolution.

Reformers say they do not want to dismantle clerical rule -- only to place more emphasis on the law and citizens' rights.

But many ordinary Iranians have already lost faith in Khatami's ability to overcome conservative resistance, and the public have shown no sign of rallying to the reformists' cause.

"It's none of my business what they're up to," said Maryam, 23, a student. "It's a struggle to gain a bigger stake for themselves, it's not for the people."

http://www.reuters.com/locales/newsArticle.jsp?type=worldNews&locale=en_IN&storyID=4132751