• Military

• WMD Menu                           

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

DATE=6/17/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-234118
TITLE=ALBRIGHT/IRAN (S & L)
BYLINE=ELAINE JOHANSON
DATELINE=NEW YORK
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
             //USE OPTIONAL MATERIAL FOR LONG CR// 
INTRO:  U-S SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE ALBRIGHT WEDNESDAY 
OFFERED TO CONSIDER NEW CONFIDENCE-BUILDING MEASURES WITH IRAN, 
WITH THE ULTIMATE AIM OF ESTABLISHING NORMAL RELATIONS.  HOWEVER,
IN A SPEECH TO THE ASIA SOCIETY IN NEW YORK, THE U-S OFFICIAL 
ALSO CAUTIONED IRAN IS STILL PURSUING POLICIES THE UNITED STATES 
OBJECTS TO.  V-O-A'S CORRESPONDENT ELAINE JOHANSON REPORTS: 
TEXT:  SECRETARY ALBRIGHT SAID U-S ECONOMIC SANCTIONS AGAINST 
IRAN WOULD REMAIN IN FORCE AS LONG AS IRAN CONTINUES TO SUPPORT 
TERRORISM AND ACQUIRE WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION.  BUT SHE ALSO 
EXPRESSED WASHINGTON'S DESIRE TO EASE TENSIONS AND INVITED IRAN'S
NEW, REFORM-MINDED LEADERSHIP TO CONSIDER CONFIDENCE-BUILDING 
STEPS.
SECRETARY ALBRIGHT SIGNALLED IT WOULD NOT BE EASY AFTER YEARS OF 
FRIGID RELATIONS:
                        //ALBRIGHT ACT//
         BUT IT IS TIME TO TEST THE POSSIBILITIES FOR BRIDGING 
         THIS GAP.  FAILURE TO DO SO WOULD BE IRRESPONSIBLE.
                           //END ACT//
WASHINGTON BROKE RELATIONS IN 1980 AFTER IRANIAN MILITANTS SEIZED
THE U-S EMBASSY IN TEHRAN AND HELD AMERICAN DIPLOMATS HOSTAGE.
                     // REST OPT FOR LONG //
SECRETARY ALBRIGHT INDICATED CONFIDENCE-BUILDING STEPS -- TAKEN 
BY BOTH SIDES -- COULD LAY THE GROUNDWORK FOR A NEW RELATIONSHIP:
                        //ALBRIGHT ACT//
         IF SUCH A PROCESS CAN BE INITIATED AND SUSTAINED IN A 
         WAY THAT ADDRESSES THE CONCERNS OF BOTH SIDES, THEN WE 
         IN THE UNITED STATES CAN SEE THE PROSPECT OF A VERY 
         DIFFERENT RELATIONSHIP.  AS THE WALL OF MISTRUST COMES 
         DOWN, WE CAN DEVELOP WITH THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC, WHEN IT 
         IS READY, A ROADMAP LEADING TO NORMAL RELATIONS.
                           //END ACT//
THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION IS PROMOTING ACADEMIC AND CULTURAL 
EXCHANGES WITH IRAN AND HAS MADE IT EASIER FOR IRANIANS TO TRAVEL
TO THE UNITED STATES.  STILL, IRANIAN OFFICIALS BRISTLE AT THE 
CONTINUING ECONOMIC SANCTIONS, DESCRIBING THEM AS A REFLECTION OF
A "COLD WAR MENTALITY".  THE UNITED STATES BANS TRADE BETWEEN U-S
COMPANIES AND IRAN.
SECRETARY ALBRIGHT SAID THE UNITED STATES BELIEVES IRAN IS STILL 
OPERATING OUTSIDE THE ACCEPTED NORMS OF INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY. 
(SIGNED)
NEB/NY/EJ/PT  
17-Jun-98 10:13 PM EDT (0213 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.