DATE=1/7/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-224957
TITLE=IRAN REACT (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=NICK SIMEONE
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: SOME IRANIAN EXPERTS WHO SPOKE WITH V-O-A ARE
RECOMMENDING THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION TAKE A CAUTIOUS APPROACH
TOWARD THE COMMENTS MADE BY IRAN'S PRESIDENT MOHAMMED KHATAMI.
V-O-A'S NICK SIMEONE SPOKE WITH REZA PAHLAVI, THE SON OF THE LATE
SHAH OF IRAN, WHOSE GOVERNMENT LOST POWER IN IRAN'S 1979 ISLAMIC
REVOLUTION, FORMER AMERICAN AMBASSADOR ROSCOE SUDDARTH, THE
PRESIDENT OF THE MIDDLE EAST INSTITUTE, AND KENNETH TIMMERMAN,
PUBLISHER OF THE MONTHLY NEWSLETTER "IRAN BRIEF".
TEXT: THE QUESTION FOR MANY IS WHETHER PRESIDENT KHATAMI'S
GROUND-BREAKING TELEVISION ADDRESS WILL BE SEEN AS A GENUINE
OVERTURE TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND THEIR GOVERNMENT FOR BETTER
RELATIONS.
REZA PAHLAVI, WHO NOW LIVES IN THE UNITED STATES, BELIEVES MR.
KHATAMI'S GOOD INTENTIONS MAY NOT NECESSARILY BE MATCHED BY A
CHANGE IN GOVERNMENT POLICY IN TEHRAN.
// PAHLAVI ACT //
I PERSONALLY HOPE THAT SOMEBODY LIKE MR. KHATAMI WOULD
BE SUCCESSFUL. BUT I DOUBT THAT OPERATING WITHIN A
SYSTEM IN WHICH HE HAS TO OPERATE HE WILL BE LIKELY TO
BRING FORTH THE KIND OF PROMISES THAT APPEAR TO BE
SUGGESTED BY HIM IN HIS STATEMENT.
// END ACT //
AS KENNETH TIMMERMAN, PUBLISHER OF THE NEWSLETTER "IRAN BRIEF"
SEES IT, WHATEVER OVERTURE PRESIDENT KHATAMI MAY HAVE BEEN TRYING
TO MAKE TOWARD THE UNITED STATES COULD HAVE MORE TO DO WITH
GETTING OUT FROM UNDER ECONOMIC SANCTIONS THAN WITH A DESIRE FOR
A RESTORATION OF DIPLOMATIC TIES.
// TIMMERMAN ACT //
I DON'T DOUBT PRESIDENT KHATAMI'S PERSONAL SINCERITY.
BUT AS MR. PAHLAVI HAS JUST SAID, HE REPRESENTS A
SYSTEM AND HIS INTEREST HERE IS THE PRESERVATION OF THE
SYSTEM, THE CONTINUATION OF THE SYSTEM AND THE
PERFECTION OF THE SYSTEM. AND WHAT THE IRANIAN
GOVERNMENT WANTS TODAY IS NOT RELATIONS WITH THE UNITED
STATES AND PRESIDENT KHATAMI MADE THAT VERY VERY CLEAR.
HE DOES NOT WANT AN OFFICIAL DIALOGUE WITH THE UNITED
STATES GOVERNMENT. WHAT HE WANTS IS TRADE WITH
AMERICAN COMPANIES. HE WANTS TO OPEN UP THE GOODYBOX
TO AMERICAN TECHNOLOGY BECAUSE THE IRANIANS DESPERATELY
NEED THIS TO REBUILD THEIR OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY.
// END ACT //
STILL, FORMER AMERICAN AMBASSADOR ROSCOE SUDDARTH, WHO HAS WORKED
IN IRAN AND OTHER MIDDLE EASTERN COUNTRIES, BELIEVES WASHINGTON
SHOULD NOT PASS UP WHAT COULD BE A RARE OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE
TOWARD A NEW RELATIONSHIP WITH THE KHATAMI GOVERNMENT.
// SUDDARTH ACT //
WELL, I THINK THE UNITED STATES SHOULD LOOK AT THE
POSITIVE SIDE OF THIS. THIS WAS A GESTURE. I'M SURE
HE'S TAKEN SOME POLITICAL RISK AT HOME. I PERSONALLY
THINK THE UNITED STATES SHOULD ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO
PEOPLE EXCHANGES. I THINK THAT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE.
IT SOMETHING THAT SEEMS TO BE WANTED BY THE IRANIANS
AND IT'S BEEN GOING ON AT A LOWER LEVEL QUITE LEGALLY.
BUT THIS SEEMS TO BE PERHAPS A PERIOD OF THIS SORT OF
THING IS NEEDED BEFORE OFFICIAL RELATIONS CAN BE
ACCEPTED BY EITHER SIDE. THERE WAS PING-PONG DIPLOMACY
IN THE CHINESE CASE. WHY NOT TRY THIS? IT'S IN THE
LONG RUN INTERESTS OF BOTH COUNTRIES TO GET TOGETHER
AND TALK ABOUT THEIR PROBLEMS.
// END ACT //
IT'S NOW UP TO THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION TO DECIDE HOW TO
RESPOND TO THE IRANIAN LEADER'S REMARKS. THE ADMINISTRATION BEEN
VERY PLAIN IN ITS VIEW THAT IRAN MUST END SUPPORT FOR TERRORISM ,
ABANDON ITS EFFORTS TO ACQUIRE WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION AND
ITS OPPOSITION TO THE MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS BEFORE
TRANSPARENT, GOVERNMENT TO GOVERNMENT DIALOGUE CAN BEGIN. NONE
OF THESE IRAN EXPERTS BELIEVES PRESIDENT KHATAMI'S CALL FOR A
DIALOGUE IS INDICATIVE OF SOME KIND OF BEHIND THE SCENES CONTACTS
BETWEEN WASHINGTON AND TEHRAN. (SIGNED)
NEB/NJS/PT
07-Jan-98 9:49 PM EST (0249 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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