Posted on 10/29/2002 5:47:23 PM PST by blam
Khatami gets roasting from Spanish press
By Isambard Wilkinson in Madrid
(Filed: 30/10/2002)
The first visit to Spain by an Iranian head of state since the 1979 Islamic revolution went from bad to worse yesterday.
A state banquet has already been cancelled because the Spaniards refused to ban wine. Now the press has savaged President Mohammed Khatami's delegation for misogyny and arrogance.
Every newspaper carried front page reports of Mr Khatami's arrival in Madrid, pointedly noting that he had not shaken hands with female dignitaries.
President Mohammed Khatami El Mundo said: "Khatami neither offered his hand nor paid respect to Queen Sofia."
The Right-wing populist La Razon gave its entire front page to a photomontage of Khatami next to two bare-breasted women with nooses around their necks.
"Khatami considers women to be inferior and impure," it said.
The torrent of hostile comment did nothing to aid Iran's goal of counter-balancing poor relations with America by developing closer ties with the European Union.
Cartoons lampooned a complex protocol covering everything that might cause offence to representatives of the Muslim state.
One depicted Mr Khatami imagining a scantily clad senorita in a burka.
The moderate Left-wing newspaper El Pais merely noted the "complications" of following the protocol.
Perhaps reflecting an element of Catalan contrariness, Barcelona's highly respected La Vanguardia described Mr Khatami's arrival as a success.
It would appear the left likes Islam. Perhaps it's the totalitarian aspect that draws them.
It would appear the left likes Islam. Perhaps it's the totalitarian aspect that draws them.
It would appear the left likes Islam. Perhaps it's the totalitarian aspect that draws them.
It would appear the left likes Islam. Perhaps it's the totalitarian aspect that draws them.
It would appear the left likes Islam. Perhaps it's the totalitarian aspect that draws them.
"Khatami considers women to be inferior and impure," it said.
This realization about Islam is coming slowly, slowly to the West. It won't come soon enough.
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Yes. Something went quite awry. Every time I tried to post to some other thread, or even to preview a post about to be submitted, this post was resubmitted instead. Very, very annoying. (I am on a different machine with a different browser right now.)
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