KHATAMI’S SPEECH AT DAVOS WAS OUT OF TOUCH WITH REALITIES
PRAGUE 23 Jan. (IPS)
"Iranian President Mohammad Khatami’s performance at the World Economic Forum (WEF) of Davos was utterly misplaced, out of context of the Forum and out touch with realities in Iran and the world", according to Mr. Fereydoon Khavand, a senior Iranian economist teaching at Paris universities.
In his speech to world’s leading entrepreneurs, business tycoons as well as the leaders of some countries, Mr. Khatami called for dialogue as a solution to global conflicts and at the same time he said there was no chance for political talks with the United States.
"The prerequisite for any kind of dialogue is the mutual respect between the two partners to the dialogue. Any time we sense that the other side respects us and isn't forcing anything on us, we are prepared to talk. We have not sensed that from the United States", the Iranian president, dressed in a black robe with black turban, said, adding, in a veiled reference to the United States that military power had limitations in bringing security.
"Partnership and security will only come about as a result of dialogue", the powerless and embattled Khatami said, explaining that the dialogue that I spoke of is between cultures and civilizations, between scholars and wise men". If those are realized, then we can have political dialogue as well".
"Mr. Khatami’s speech at Davos on Wednesday was not related to the ongoing developments in Iran or the world’s economic situation of the day that makes the essence of the World Economic Forum", Mr. Khavand commented Friday for the Persian service of the Prague-based Radio Free Europe-Radio Liberty.
"What interested more the participants at the forum was not Khatami’s speech, but the presence of a Shi’ite cleric dressed in traditional outfits in one of the world’s most important centre of economic liberalism", he noted.
This contradiction was better highlighted when one realises that the Islamic Republic, contrary to the philosophy of the WEF, has one of the world’s most centralised economy and is among the poorest nations on the planet, comparable to North Korea, Turkmenistan or Libya, Mr. Khavand observed, citing a report from the American think tank institution The Heritage Foundation.
"Considering the frontal contradiction between the philosophy of Davos and the realities of the Iranian economy, it would not be exaggerated to say that the presence of a cleric like Khatami in the WEF is itself the translation of the many tangles prevailing at the regime’s economic policies and its decision-making instances", the economist observed.
This is the syndrome of an "economy without identity" that the economic monthly "Iran’s Economy" criticised in its latest issue published in Tehran. "The Iranian economy is neither a liberal market economy nor a socialistic one. The government lacks a proper identity and the bazaar a proper, clear mission…"In such situation, the presence of the president of the Islamic Republic in Davos should certainly not help understanding this confusing situation of Iranian economy", Mr. Khavand concluded.
ENDS KHATAMI DAVOS 23104
http://www.iran-press-service.com/articles_2004/Jan_04/jannati_disqualifications_23104.htm"Mr. Khatami’s speech at Davos on Wednesday was not related to the ongoing developments in Iran or the world’s economic situation of the day"
"...the presence of a cleric like Khatami in the WEF is itself the translation of the many tangles prevailing at the regime’s economic policies and its decision-making instances", the economist observed."
They just don't get it.