DATE= JUNE 25, 1998
TYPE= EDITORIAL
NUMBER= 0-07844
TITLE= EDITORIAL: IRAN -- HOPES FOR RECONCILIATION
CONTENT=THIS IS THE ONLY EDITORIAL BEING RELEASED FOR BROADCAST
JUNE 25, 1998.
ANNCR:
THE VOICE OF AMERICA PRESENTS DIFFERING POINTS OF VIEW ON A WIDE
VARIETY OF ISSUES. NEXT, AN EDITORIAL EXPRESSING THE POLICIES OF
THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT.
VOICE:
THIS PAST WEEKEND, IRAN BEAT THE UNITED STATES TWO GOALS TO
ONE IN A HARD-FOUGHT WORLD CUP SOCCER MATCH. BUT MORE IMPORTANT
THAN THE SCORE WAS THE FACT THAT AMERICANS AND IRANIANS COULD
MEET EACH OTHER ON THE FIELD OF PLAY. AS PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON
SAID, "I HOPE [THE GAME] CAN BE ANOTHER STEP TOWARD ENDING THE
ESTRANGEMENT BETWEEN OUR NATIONS. I AM PLEASED THAT OVER THE
LAST YEAR, PRESIDENT [MOHAMMAD] KHATAMI AND I HAVE BOTH WORKED TO
ENCOURAGE MORE PEOPLE-TO-PEOPLE EXCHANGES."
WHEN MOHAMMAD KHATAMI WAS ELECTED IRAN'S PRESIDENT A YEAR
AGO, OBSERVERS TOOK IT AS A SIGN THAT IRANIANS DESIRED CHANGE.
THERE IS GOOD REASON TO THINK THAT THE PEOPLE OF IRAN WANT
FREEDOM, A CIVIL SOCIETY BASED ON THE RULE OF LAW, AND A FOREIGN
POLICY THAT WOULD END IRAN'S ESTRANGEMENT FROM THE REST OF THE
WORLD.
IN THE PAST, IRAN HAS VIOLENTLY OPPOSED MIDDLE EAST PEACE
EFFORTS AND THOSE WILLING TO NEGOTIATE WITH ISRAEL. IRANIAN
LEADERS STILL DENOUNCE ISRAEL IN UNACCEPTABLE TERMS. BUT LAST
DECEMBER, IRANIAN LEADERS TOLD PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY CHAIRMAN
YASSER ARAFAT THAT THEY WOULD ACCEPT WHAT THE PALESTINIANS COULD
ACCEPT. OTHER ENCOURAGING SIGNS INCLUDE AN IMPROVEMENT IN IRAN'S
RECORD AGAINST ILLEGAL DRUGS AND ITS TREATMENT OF IRAQI AND
AFGHAN REFUGEES.
SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE ALBRIGHT HAS CALLED FOR A
U.S.-IRAN ROAD MAP THAT COULD LEAD TO BETTER RELATIONS. BUT MRS.
ALBRIGHT ALSO SAID THAT SUCH HOPES "MUST BE BALANCED AGAINST THE
REALITY THAT IRAN'S SUPPORT FOR TERRORISM HAS NOT YET CEASED,
SERIOUS VIOLATIONS OF HUMAN RIGHTS PERSIST; AND [IRAN'S] EFFORTS
TO DEVELOP LONG-RANGE MISSILES AND TO ACQUIRE NUCLEAR WEAPONS
CONTINUE."
AS PRESIDENT CLINTON SAID, "WHAT WE WANT IS A GENUINE
RECONCILIATION WITH IRAN BASED ON MUTUALITY AND RECIPROCITY AND
THE SENSE THAT THE IRANIANS ARE PREPARED TO MOVE AWAY FROM
SUPPORT OF TERRORISM, AND DISTRIBUTION OF DANGEROUS WEAPONS, AND
OPPOSITION TO THE PEACE PROCESS." "WE ARE EXPLORING WHAT THE
FUTURE MIGHT HOLD," SAID PRESIDENT CLINTON. "WE HAVE NOT CHANGED
OUR PRINCIPLES, OUR IDEAS OR OUR OBJECTIVES. WE BELIEVE IRAN IS
CHANGING IN A POSITIVE WAY, AND WE WANT TO SUPPORT THAT."
ANNCR:
THAT WAS AN EDITORIAL EXPRESSING THE POLICIES OF THE U.S.
GOVERNMENT. IF YOU HAVE A COMMENT, PLEASE WRITE TO EDITORIALS,
V-O-A, WASHINGTON, D-C, 20547, U-S-A. YOU MAY ALSO COMMENT AT
WWW-DOT-VOA-DOT-GOV-SLASH-EDITORIALS, OR FAX US AT (202)
619-1043.
24-Jun-98 3:40 PM EDT (1940 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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