DATE=9/15/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=U-S/IRAN (L/S)
NUMBER=2-266583
BYLINE=NICK SIMEONE
DATELINE=NEW YORK
CONTENT=
INTRO: The United States and Iran have held their
highest level encounter since diplomatic relations
between both countries were broken 20 years ago.
Correspondent Nick Simeone reports it was a meeting
involving Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and
Iran's Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi in New York,
Friday.
TEXT: The two officials were brought together by an
eight nation meeting at the United Nations on
Afghanistan. After more than an hour of talks,
Secretary Albright called the session useful and
encouraging.
// ALBRIGHT ACT //
We were sitting on opposite sides of the table
so we didn't have a conversation but I was very
interested in the similarity of our views on the
problem of Afghanistan, the problems of fighting
terrorism, narco-trafficking and the various
issues there.
// END ACT //
Iranian Foreign Minister Kharrazi did not speak to
reporters. This exchange though, marks yet another
diplomatic encounter between the United States and
Iran which have not had diplomatic relations since
Iran's Islamic revolution two decades ago.
// REST FOR LONG //
Both countries seem to be slowly moving in the
direction of increasing contacts. Last week,
President Clinton was in the audience for an address
here by Iranian President Mohammad Khatami, with U-S
officials saying Washington is interested in hearing
what Iran has to say.
Iran has been advocating increasing people to people
contacts with the United States but also wants to see
its frozen assets returned before engaging in more
direct relations. Iran remains on Washington's list
of terrorist sponsoring nations. But in March, the
United States announced it would allow imports of some
Iranian goods in another sign that the United States
wants to improve relations. (SIGNED)
NEB/NJS/PT
15-Sep-2000 19:33 PM EDT (15-Sep-2000 2333 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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