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DATE=1/11/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-225096
TITLE=U-S/IRAN (L) 
BYLINE=NICK SIMEONE
DATELINE=WASHINGTON 
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 
INTRO:   PRESIDENT CLINTON'S NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR SAYS THE 
UNITED STATES IS CONSIDERING REVIEWING THE VISA REQUIREMENTS FOR 
IRANIANS IN RESPONSE TO OVERTURES TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE MADE BY 
IRAN'S PRESIDENT MOHAMMED KHATAMI.  VOA'S NICK SIMEONE REPORTS ON
WHAT COULD BE THE BEGINNINGS OF A THAW IN NEARLY 20 YEARS OF 
FROZEN TIES BETWEEN WASHINGTON AND TEHRAN.
TEXT:   SAMUEL BERGER TOLD C-N-N SUNDAY THE CLINTON 
ADMINISTRATION IS WILLING TO CONSIDER RELAXING THE TOUGH VISA 
RESTRICTIONS ON IRANIANS WHO WANT TO TRAVEL TO THE UNITED STATES.
                        // BERGER ACT //
         WE WILL LOOK AT THE QUESTION OF WHETHER OR NOT A GREATER
         EXCHANGE OF PRIVATE SECTOR PEOPLE WOULD BE USEFUL.  THAT
         IS SOMETHING WE WILL LOOK AT.
                          // END ACT //
LAST WEEK, IN AN INTERVIEW WITH C-N-N BILLED AS AN ADDRESS TO THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE, IRANIAN PRESIDENT KHATAMI CALLED FOR STEPPED-UP 
CULTURAL EXCHANGES BETWEEN BOTH COUNTRIES AS A WAY TO BREAK WHAT 
HE CALLED A WALL OF MISTRUST.  IN THE INTERVIEW, AMERICANS FOR 
THE FIRST TIME HEARD AN IRANIAN LEADER PRAISE AMERICAN HISTORY 
AND CULTURE -- WORDS THAT WERE IN SHARP CONTRAST WITH PAST 
IRANIAN DENUNCIATIONS OF THE UNITED STATES AS THE "GREAT SATAN". 
STILL, FOR ANY IMPROVEMENT IN OFFICIAL RELATIONS, THE CLINTON 
ADMINISTRATION SAYS IT WANTS NOT ONLY KIND WORDS, BUT A CHANGE IN
IRAN'S BEHAVIOR ON A NUMBER OF ISSUES.  THESE INCLUDE AN END TO 
SUPPORTING TERRORISM AND EFFORTS TO DERAIL THE MIDDLE EAST PEACE 
PROCESS.  NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR BERGER QUESTIONS WHETHER IRAN
IS READY TO DO THIS. 
                     // SECOND BERGER ACT //
         THERE'S BEEN MORE CHANGE I THINK IN IRAN'S INTERNAL 
         BEHAVIOR, DEGREE OF TOLERANCE INTERNALLY, THAN THERE HAS
         AT THIS POINT IN ITS EXTERNAL BEHAVIOR.
                         // END ACT // 
IF IRAN IS WILLING TO ADDRESS WASHINGTON'S CONCERNS, THEN MR. 
BERGER SAYS THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION IS PREPARED TO DISCUSS AN 
ISSUE THAT HAS LONG BEEN ON IRAN'S AGENDA:   THE RELEASE OF 
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN FROZEN IRANIAN ASSETS HELD IN THE UNITED 
STATES SINCE ISLAMIC MILITANTS STORMED THE U-S EMBASSY IN TEHRAN 
IN 1979.  (SIGNED)
 NEB/NJS/WFR
11-Jan-98 4:56 PM EST (2156 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.