Posted on 07/02/2005 3:25:58 PM PDT by nickcarraway
BRUSSELS -- The speaker of Belgium's parliament has canceled a lunch with his Iranian counterpart because the visiting Tehran delegation insisted that no alcohol be served, officials said on Thursday.
Confirming a report in the daily De Standaard, a parliamentary spokesman said that the lunch scheduled for Friday was called off because "we didn't want to bow to outside rules", although talks are still scheduled.
Assembly chief Herman De Croo told the Flemish-language daily that he had not received a written request about the booze ban, "but I was told indirectly that they were asking for alcohol not to be served.
"Even for someone tolerant like Herman De Croo, that's going a bit far," added the politician, who normally serves wine for lunch guests.
The parliamentary lunch in the Belgian and European Union capital was scheduled for a delegation of Iranian lawmakers headed by the head of the conservative Tehran assembly, Gholam Ali Hadad Adel.
"The Belgian deputies decided that we would stick to Western customs. Guests are not obliged to serve alcohol, but we didn't want to bow to outside rules," said the parliamentary spokesman.
As a result the schedule of the talks has been changed with the Iranians being received late on Friday morning. "A one-hour meeting with Mr. De Croo is programmed, but the lunch has been canceled," said the spokesman.
Hey, you want nukes? - Okay, lets talk.
What, no booze?? - Yer outta here!
Good to see that they have their priorities straight.
LOL
Good for Belgium.
Should have tossed them out of their country too. Most of their leaders are hypocrites anyway not adhering to their warped koran anyway and being hypocrites when not in public view.
Example, Saddam and his son's.
Regards,
Joe
This would be amusing, if it weren't a sad commentary on Belgium.
The fact that Iran is a rogue terrorist nation, that they oppress their people and are guilty of many human rights violations was no deterrence to Belgium, but if they can't drink their beer at lunch, that is over the line of what they are willing to accept
'My brethren: your mission from Allah is to partake heavily of lead sandwiches while eschewing the deadly and ruinous Cabernet.'
Well put.
"
Should have tossed them out of their country too. Most of their leaders are hypocrites anyway not adhering to their warped koran anyway and being hypocrites when not in public view."
Not just hypocrites, but men with no class. At Pope John Paul II's funeral, President Khatami shook hands and spoke to Moshe Katsav, president of Israel; but when he went back to Iran he denied it happened. How rude and insulting can someone be?
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