DATE=3/10/99
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-42815
TITLE=IRAN / EUROPE
BYLINE=LAURIE KASSMAN
DATELINE=LONDON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: IRANIAN PRESIDENT MOHAMAD KHATAMI'S VISIT TO EUROPE THIS
WEEK IS THE FIRST BY AN IRANIAN LEADER SINCE THE 1979 ISLAMIC
REVOLUTION. V-O-A CORRESPONDENT LAURIE KASSMAN LOOKS AT HOW THE
TRIP MARKS ANOTHER STEP IN MR. KHATAMI'S EFFORTS TO END IRAN'S
DIPLOMATIC ISOLATION AND RESTORE ITS CREDIBILITY IN THE
INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL ARENA.
TEXT: IN THE EARLY YEARS AFTER THE 1979 ISLAMIC REVOLUTION
TOPPLED SHAH REZA PAHLEVI, THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS OF IRAN WERE
TREATED AS PARIAHS IN THE WORLD OF INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMACY.
SINCE HIS ELECTION NEARLY TWO YEARS AGO, PRESIDENT MOHAMAD
KHATAMI HAS SOUGHT TO MODERATE THE REVOLUTION'S SOCIAL AND
POLITICAL POLICIES AT HOME AND TO REACH OUT TO END IRAN'S
DIPLOMATIC ISOLATION ABROAD.
GEORGE JOFFE (JAH FAY), THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF THE ROYAL
INSTITUTE FOR INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS IN LONDON SAYS MR. KHATAMI'S
VISIT TO ITALY -- AND HIS PLANS TO VISIT FRANCE AND GERMANY LATER
IN THE YEAR -- UNDERSCORE HOW MUCH IRAN WANTS AND NEEDS TO BE
RE-INTEGRATED BACK INTO THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY.
/// JOFFE ACT ///
IT'S A DEMONSTRATION THAT IRAN IS NOW TAKEN SERIOUSLY AS
A MAJOR POWER IN THE GULF REGION -- AS A MAJOR PLAYER ON
THE WORLD STAGE. AND THAT REALLY FOR MR. KHATAMI IS THE
MOST IMPORTANT BENEFIT HE CAN BRING BACK.
/// END ACT ///
THE TRIP ALSO HELPS REVITALIZE TRADE LINKS THAT ARE KEY TO IRAN'S
EFFORTS TO REBUILD ITS BATTERED ECONOMY. TWO IMPORTANT OIL
CONTRACTS HAVE BEEN SIGNED WITH ITALY. OTHER EUROPEAN
GOVERNMENTS ARE LOOKING FOR MORE OPPORTUNITIES IN IRAN'S MARKETS
TOO. LAST MONTH, IRAN'S PARLIAMENT AGREED TO LET FOREIGN
COMPANIES OWN UP TO 49 PERCENT IN ANY IRANIAN COMPANY.
PRESIDENT KHATAMI ALSO HAS USED HIS ROME VISIT TO SEND IMPORTANT
SIGNALS BEYOND EUROPE TO WASHINGTON. THE IRANIAN LEADER HAS
DISTANCED HIMSELF FROM HIS GOVERNMENT'S PAST PRACTICES WHEN HE
DENOUNCES TERRORISM AND PROMISES IRAN WILL OPPOSE THE SPREAD OF
NUCLEAR WEAPONS.
BUT MR. JOFFE POINTS OUT THAT PRESIDENT KHATAMI STILL FACES A
POWERFUL CONSERVATIVE OPPOSITION BACK HOME.
/// JOFFE ACT TWO ///
HE KNOWS, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT THE SUPREME LEADER AYATOLLAH
KHOMEINI IS NOT NECESSARILY CONVINCED OF THE NECESSITY
OR DESIRABILITY OF DIALOGUE AT THIS LEVEL, ALTHOUGH HE'D
CERTAINLY PREFER IT WITH THE EUROPEANS RATHER THAN WITH
THE UNITED STATES. AND THAT BEHIND HIM STANDS THE
BAZAAR (IRAN'S CONSERVATIVE BUSINESS CLASS) WHICH IS
VERY ANXIOUS INDEED, NOT ONLY ABOUT THE STATE OF THE
IRANIAN ECONOMY, BUT ALSO ABOUT THE PLANS THE KHATAMI
GOVERNMENT MAY HAVE TOWARD THEIR INTEREST IN IT.
/// END ACT ///
STILL, MR. JOFFE AND OTHER IRAN-WATCHERS AGREE THE MODERATING
TREND IN IRAN IS TAKING HOLD, ESPECIALLY AFTER THE OVERWHELMING
SUCCESS OF REFORM-MINDED CANDIDATES IN LOCAL ELECTIONS LAST
MONTH. THEY SAY EUROPEAN SUPPORT CAN HELP MR. KHATAMI AND HIS
SUPPORTERS IN THEIR FIGHT AGAINST THE NAY-SAYERS BACK HOME.
(SIGNED)
NEB/LMK/JWH/GE
10-Mar-99 12:05 PM EST (1705 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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