Annan says he got good understanding of Iran's stance on nuclear program
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
Tehran, Sept 3, IRNA
Iran-UN-Annan
Secretary-General of the United Nations Kofi Annan said on Sunday he got a good understanding of Iran's stance about national nuclear program.
He told a press conference in presence of Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki that he would raise his new understanding with the states involved in the stand-off over Iranian nuclear program to fulfill his duty as the UN secretary-general.
He said that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and members of the Security Council are studying Iranian nuclear program and good discussions have been made thanks to Iran's contacts with the Group 5+1 (five permanent members of the Security Council plus Germany).
He said that in his negotiations with iranian officials, he expressed concern about holding an exhibit of caricatures with the theme of Holocaust and recalled the controversy caused by the blasphemous caricatures published in the Danish press.
The blasphemous caricatures led to worldwide protests by the Muslims and caused some casualties when demonstrators clashed with police in different countries.
He said that freedom of expression is a right which should be used carefully. We should be cautious not to use certain terms which may lead to violence and subsequent losses.
"We should accept the Holocaust as an undeniable fact and we should teach our children what happened in the course of the World War II and help guarantee that such events would not take place once again," Annan said.
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