DATE=4/3/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=5-39468
TITLE=IRAN / US
BYLINE=LAURIE KASSMAN
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: ATHLETES, ACADEMICS AND FORMER GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS ARE
THE FIRST TO BREAK THE ICE AT WHAT APPEARS TO BE THE START OF A
FRAGILE THAW IN U-S IRANIAN RELATIONS. THOSE RELATIONS WERE
BROKEN OFF IN 1979 WHEN THE ISLAMIC REVOLUTION TOPPLED U-S ALLY,
SHAH REZA PAHLAVI V-O-A CORRESPONDENT LAURIE KASSMAN REPORTS
THAT BOTH SIDES ARE MOVING CAUTIOUSLY.
TEXT: FOR NEARLY TWENTY YEARS, THE UNITED STATES WAS KNOWN AS
THE GREAT SATAN IN IRAN. IN TURN, AMERICANS COULD RARELY THINK
OF IRAN WITHOUT REMEMBERING THE AMERICAN DIPLOMATS HELD HOSTAGE
DURING THE 1979 SEIGE OF THE U-S EMBASSY IN TEHRAN.
TODAY THE MEDIA SHOW AMERICAN ATHLETES BEING WARMLY EMBRACED IN
IRAN AND IRANIAN WRESTLERS BEING CHEERED IN THE AMERICAN MIDWEST.
THE ANGRY AND HOSTILE RHETORIC OF THE PAST IS FADING.
THAT'S NOT ALL. AMERICAN SCHOLARS RECENTLY VISITED TEHRAN, WITH
THE APPROVAL OF WASHINGTON. IRAN'S ADVISOR ON WOMEN'S AFFAIRS
WAS GRANTED A VISA TO ATTEND A CONFERENCE IN WASHINGTON.
WASHINGTON SAYS IT WILL ENCOURAGE CULTURAL AND ACADEMIC
EXCHANGES. THE STATE DEPARTMENT HAS EASED TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS SO
IRAN'S U-N AMBASSADOR COULD ATTEND A CONFERENCE IN LOS ANGELES
AND, THIS WEEK, HAS SOFTENED THE TRAVEL WARNING ON IRAN.
IT ALL STARTED LAST JANUARY WHEN IRAN'S NEW PRESIDENT, MOHAMED
KHATAMI -- A MODERATE CLERIC -- CALLED FOR PEOPLE-TO-PEOPLE
DIPLOMACY AND WASHINGTON CAUTIOUSLY WELCOMED IT.
//OPT// AZAR NAFISI HAS TAUGHT ENGLISH LITERATURE IN TEHRAN. SHE
SAYS MR KHATAMI HAS BEEN A CATALYST, NOT THE CAUSE OF IMPORTANT
CHANGES WITHIN IRANIAN SOCIETY.
// NAFISI ACT //
NOW THE POINT IS WHAT ARE THE FORCES THAT BROUGHT ABOUT
THESE CHANGES, WHICH FORCED THESE CHANGES, AND WHAT WILL
BE THEIR ROLE? AND THAT IS WHAT WE CALL CIVIL SOCIETY.
SO THE UNITED STATES PERHAPS SHOULD ALSO PAY ATTENTION
TO THOSE FACTORS, TO THOSE PEOPLE, TO THOSE INSTITUTIONS
WHICH HAVE FINALLY, AFTER 18 YEARS, HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL
IN BRINGING ABOUT THE CHANGE.
/// END ACT /// //END OPT //
HISTORY PROFESSOR SHAUL BAKHASH OF GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY SAYS
THE IDEA OF BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS OF MISTRUST IS AN IMPORTANT
FIRST STEP TOWARD BETTER RELATIONS.
// BAKHASH ACT //
MR KHATAMI'S IDEA OF CULTURAL EXCHANGES TO BREAK THE
WALL OF SUSPICION BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES HAS BEEN
PROVEN RIGHT. SO FAR IT'S WORKED PRETTY WELL. THERE'S A
FEELING ON BOTH SIDES OF MORE COMFORT AND EASE WITH EACH
OTHER AND THERE ARE SIGNS OF MORE CONCRETE MEASURES
BEING TAKEN BY THE TWO SIDES -- EVEN IF (THEY ARE) SMALL
STEPS.
//END ACT//
THE WHITE HOUSE ADVISOR ON MIDEAST AFFAIRS, BRUCE RIEDEL, AGREES
THAT PEOPLE-TO-PEOPLE DIPLOMACY IS IMPORTANT -- BUT HE WARNS THAT
IT IS NOT ENOUGH .
//RIEDEL ACT//
WE REMAIN CONVINCED THAT THE BEST WAY TO RESOLVE THE
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN OURSELVES AND IRAN IS THROUGH A
GOVERNMENT TO GOVERNMENT DIALOGUE. ONLY A DIRECT
DISCUSSION CAN RESOLVE THE ISSUES THAT SEPARATE US.
//END ACT//
WASHINGTON CONTINUES TO EXPRESS CONCERN ABOUT IRAN'S NUCLEAR
WEAPONS PROGRAM, ITS SUPPORT FOR TERRORISM AND ITS OPPOSITION TO
THE MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS.
FOR ITS PART, IRAN WANTS THE UNITED STATES TO END ITS ECONOMIC
SANCTIONS AND OTHER RESTRICTIONS. TEHRAN ALSO WANTS THE RETURN OF
ASSETS THAT WERE FROZEN IN AMERICAN BANKS DURING THE 1979 ISLAMIC
REVOLUTION.
SO FAR IRAN HAS REFUSED DIRECT DIALOGUE.
IRAN ANALYSTS NOTE THAT MR KHATAMI WOULD NOT HAVE BEGUN THE
PROCESS OF RECONCILIATION WITHOUT A GREEN LIGHT (APPROVAL) FROM
IRAN'S SPIRITUAL LEADER AYATOLLAH ALI KHAMANEI -- WHO ULTIMATELY
CONTROLS FOREIGN POLICY. BUT, THERE ARE ALSO POWERFUL HARDLINERS
WITHIN THE GOVERNMENT WHO OPPOSE IMPROVED TIES WITH WASHINGTON.
SOME FORMER U-S DIPLOMATS SAY DIRECT DIALOGUE IS A LONG WAY OFF.
STILL, MR BAKHASH SAYS A LOT HAS ALREADY BEEN ACCOMPLISHED IN A
SHORT TIME..
// BAKHASH ACT TWO //
// OPT // IT'S INTERESTING TO SEE THAT SIMPLY BY
PERSISTING SLOWLY ALONG THE PATH OF INDIRECT DIALOGUE
THAT BOTH THE LEADERS OF BOTH COUNTRIES HAVE MANAGED TO
MAKE A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF HEADWAY. // END OPT //
IN THE UNITED STATES, THE CRITICISM OF THE PRESIDENT'S
COURSE IN CONGRESS IS NOT SO VOCAL ANY MORE. ON THE
IRANIAN SIDE, THERE HAS BEEN CRITICISM OF THE IRANIAN
PRESIDENT BUT THE FACT THAT HE CONTINUES, THAT HIS
GOVERNMENT IS STABLE, AND THAT HE HAS WON CONFRONTATION
AFTER CONFRONTATION ON THIS AND OTHER ISSUES, SUGGESTS
THAT PROGRESS IS BEING MADE IN BOTH COUNTRIES AGAINST
THE DOUBTERS OR THE NAY-SAYERS.
//END ACT//
IRAN ANALYSTS AGREE THAT WASHINGTON AND TEHRAN EVENTUALLY WILL
HAVE TO SHOW SOME RESULTS AND FINALLY TACKLE THE SERIOUS ISSUES
THAT DIVIDE THEM. FOR NOW, THE SMALL GESTURES CONTINUE --
CAUTIOUSLY -- ON BOTH SIDES. (SIGNED)
NEB/LMK/JO
03-Apr-98 3:21 PM EST (2021 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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