DATE=7/10/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=IRAN / GERMANY (L-UPDATE)
NUMBER=2-264269
BYLINE=JONATHAN BRAUDE
DATELINE=BERLIN
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: Iranian President Mohammed Khatami has
bitterly criticized opposition demonstrators who have
dogged his visit to Berlin. Jonathan Braude in the
German capital reports the Iranian leader made his
comments at a news conference after talks with German
officials.
TEXT: President Khatami was speaking at a joint news
conference with German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder,
after the first official engagements of his three-day
visit to Germany.
The two men spoke of their hopes for increased
cultural and scientific ties, and Chancellor Schroeder
announced Germany would increase its export credits to
Iran under from about 100-million dollars to almost
500-million dollars.
/// OPT /// Mr. Schroeder also said they had talked
about Iran's attempts to reconcile traditional Muslim
religious and cultural traditions with the needs of a
modern, democratic state - and he said Germany
understands the process is not one that could be
completed overnight. /// END OPT ///
And without going into detail, he said he and the
Iranian president had discussed various questions
where there were some disagreements between them.
That was the nearest the German chancellor got to
hinting at the human-rights issues he had raised with
Mr. Khatami. But German government sources afterwards
said the two men had a long discussion, where the
chancellor raised the fate of a group of Iranian Jews
who have been jailed for spying for Israel. The
sources said he also raised the question of a group of
Iranians arrested on their return home after attending
a conference in Germany.
At the news conference, Mr. Khatami was asked if he
had a message for the Iranian protestors who were
demonstrating against his visit at Berlin's landmark
Brandenburg Gate. The Iranian President said he had
no problem with honest opinions, honestly expressed,
and every one of his opponents had the right to
express themselves.
What he said he could not accept was that the same
people who had spread, what he called - waves of
terror across Iran and killed thousands of people,
could then go abroad and present themselves as
peaceful demonstrators.
/// KHATAMI ACT - IN FARSI - FADE UNDER ///
The Iranian president said - you cannot spread waves
of terror over a country and cause unrest and then go
abroad and present yourself as democratic and say you
want to express an opinion.
Mr. Khatami said the opposition group is now fighting
an Iranian president who has begun to introduce
reforms in the country. He said he agrees that a
person should express opposition opinions - but not
with terror and bombs.
He also said he hopes no European country would allow
the group to continue its activities.
Mr. Khatami's visit continues until Wednesday, and
will include meetings with businessmen. He will also
make a cultural visit to the city of Weimar, where the
German poet Goethe spent much of his working life and
said he was influenced by the Iranian poet Hafiz.
President Khatami will unveil a monument to Hafiz in
Weimar before returning to Tehran - with one more
European government now ready to continue the process
of improving its ties with Iran. (SIGNED)
NEB/JB/JWH/AMAHL/RAE
10-Jul-2000 13:45 PM EDT (10-Jul-2000 1745 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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