DATE=1/9/98
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-38636
TITLE=U-S-IRANIAN RELATIONS
BYLINE=NEAL LAVON
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: THIS WEEK'S (C-N-N) TELEVISION INTERVIEW OF IRANIAN
PRESIDENT MOHAMMED KHATAMI IS CAREFULLY BEING EXAMINED BY MIDDLE
EAST EXPERTS AND SCHOLARS. THE IRANIAN LEADER PROPOSED CULTURAL
EXCHANGES BETWEEN HIS COUNTRY AND THE UNITED STATES AS A WAY TO
OPEN A DIALOGUE WITH THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. BUT HE CRITICIZED U-S
FOREIGN POLICY TOWARD IRAN AND DID NOT OFFER TO PURSUE
GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS. V-O-A'S NEAL LAVON REPORTS ON HOW THIS
INTERVIEW MAY AFFECT DIPLOMACY BETWEEN WASHINGTON AND TEHRAN, AND
THE IMPACT U-S EXPERTS THINK IT WILL HAVE IN IRAN.
TEXT: THE UNITED STATES BROKE DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH
IRAN IN 1979 FOLLOWING TEHRAN'S SUPPORT OF STUDENT RADICALS WHO
STORMED THE U-S EMBASSY AND HELD 52 AMERICAN HOSTAGES FOR 444
DAYS.
SINCE THEN, THE DIPLOMATIC CONTACTS BETWEEN THE TWO NATIONS HAVE
BEEN LIMITED. WASHINGTON AND TEHRAN HAVE COOPERATED ON OVERSEEING
A CEASE-FIRE IN THE AFGHANISTAN CONFLICT. THEY ALSO NEGOTIATED
SOME FINANCIAL SETTLEMENTS STEMMING FROM THE DOWNING OF AN
IRANIAN AIRLINER IN 1988 BY A U-S CRUISER THAT KILLED 290
CIVILIANS. THE TWO COUNTRIES ALSO HAVE AGREED ON SOME ISSUES
ARISING FROM A MONETARY DISPUTE BEFORE THE INTERNATIONAL COURT OF
JUSTICE.
BUT THE UNITED STATES AND IRAN DISAGREE ON NUMEROUS REGIONAL
ISSUES IN THE MIDDLE EAST. SOME OF THESE ISSUES, SUCH AS AID TO
IRAN'S ENERGY INDUSTRY FROM FIRMS IN RUSSIA, FRANCE AND MALAYSIA,
HAVE SPILLED OVER TO U-S FOREIGN AND ECONOMIC RELATIONS.
CURRENTLY, U-S LAW BARS FOREIGN COMPANIES FROM INVESTING
20-MILLION DOLLARS OR MORE IN IRAN'S ENERGY SECTORS. THE UNITED
STATES IS BELIEVED TO BE ON THE VERGE OF FINING THOSE FIRMS, A
MOVE THAT WOULD BE VEHEMENTLY OPPOSED BY MANY U-S TRADING
PARTNERS.
FORMER UNDERSECRETARY OF STATE JOSEPH SISCO SAYS BOTH THE UNITED
STATES AND IRAN NEED TO REACH AN ACCOMMODATION. IF NOT, HE SAYS,
WASHINGTON MAY RISK LOSING INFLUENCE IN THE MIDDLE EAST.
/// SISCO ACT ///
THE REALITY IS THAT AT LEAST A MODICUM OF
COOPERATION HAS TO BE ACHIEVED BETWEEN THE
UNITED STATES AND IRAN. OTHERWISE, WE'RE GOING
TO END UP IN A SITUATION WHERE THE RUSSIANS ARE
TOTALLY DOMINANT. AND I THINK THERE IS A
RECOGNITION OF THIS MUTUALITY OF INTEREST.
/// END ACT ///
SOME MIDDLE EAST SCHOLARS IN AMERICA BELIEVE PRESIDENT KHATAMI'S
INTERVIEW WILL ALSO HAVE AN IMPACT IN IRAN. ROBERT LIEBER,
PROFESSOR OF GOVERNMENT AT (WASHINGTON'S) GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY,
SAYS THE IRANIAN LEADER WAS SENDING A MESSAGE TO RELIGIOUS
CONSERVATIVES IN TEHRAN.
/// LIEBER ACT ///
PERHAPS THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT ELEMENT IN THAT
SPEECH, OR THAT TALK, WAS PRESIDENT KHATAMI'S STATEMENT
THAT LIBERTY AND RELIGION WERE NOT IRRECONCILABLE.
THAT'S OBVIOUSLY AIMED AGAINST THE HARD-LINERS IN
IRAN WHO INSIST ON THE EXTREME RELIGIOUS ORTHODOXY
AT THE EXPENSE OF THE IRANIAN PEOPLE.
/// END ACT ///
THE UNITED STATES SAYS IT IS TAKING A LOOK AT SOME OF THE
EXISTING SANCTIONS AGAINST IRAN, SUCH AS THE ONES ON INVESTING
IN TEHRAN'S ENERGY INDUSTRY. THAT VIEW IS ENCOURAGED BY SOME
MIDDLE EAST SCHOLARS. BUT OTHERS OPPOSE IT, INSISTING IRAN HAS
OFFERED NOTHING NEW AND IS NOT INTERESTED IN CHANGING ITS SUPPORT
OF TERRORISM, OPPOSITION TO THE MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS AND
PURSUIT OF WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION. (SIGNED)
NEB/NL/RRM
09-Jan-98 4:51 PM EST (2151 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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