Majlis Speaker Terms IPU Session "Fruitful"
September 4, 2000 - 0:0
TEHRAN Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly (Majlis) Hojjatoleslam Mahdi Karrubi Saturday night said that Iran's participation in the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) meeting in New York was "positive".
Speaking to reporters upon arrival here from New York, Karrubi said the Islamic Republic of Iran transparently expressed its views on such issues as detente, dialog among civilizations, human rights, terrorism, weapons of mass destruction and Palestine at the IPU session.
He said that on the sidelines of the meeting he held satisfactory talks with his counterparts from several countries who emphatically hailed President Khatami's policy of detente and initiative for dialog of civilizations.
Karrubi also pointed to his talks with a number of heads and representatives of some creditable U.S. companies who called for lifting of U.S. sanctions against Iran.
He said in all such meetings Iran's stance was clearly expressed and it was stressed that solution of the existing problems depends on practical measures on the side of the U.S.
The Majlis speaker termed the U.S. measure in hesitating to issue entry visa for some members of the Iranian delegation as a shortcoming which was severely protested even by the UN secretary general and the IPU chairman.
He highlighted the IPU session in New York as a turning point for the world parliaments and said that in meetings on the sideline of the gathering the need was underlined for a change in the structure of the United Nations.
Karrubi said that by organizing the IPU session, the United Nations proved that it appreciates the significance of presence of world parliaments in the settlement of international issues.
He said the issue of the trial of the Jews on charges of espionage and issues relevant to the press in Iran were among questions raised in his meetings with the participant personalities or the press during his 6-day visit to New York.
Hojjatoleslam Karrubi said clear answers were given to those questions and it was stressed that those who were placed on trial on charges of espionage were both Jews and Muslims and that ideology, thinking and religion did not constitute the basis for trial.
The Majlis speaker further remarked that the Leader's message to the Millennium World Peace Summit was warmly welcomed by the gathering.
As for the measure of a number of U.S. senators and congressmen who asked him some questions without any prior arrangement in the course of his visit to the Metropolitan Museum, Karrubi said he gave explicit answers to those questions.
(IRNA)
Speaking to reporters upon arrival here from New York, Karrubi said the Islamic Republic of Iran transparently expressed its views on such issues as detente, dialog among civilizations, human rights, terrorism, weapons of mass destruction and Palestine at the IPU session.
He said that on the sidelines of the meeting he held satisfactory talks with his counterparts from several countries who emphatically hailed President Khatami's policy of detente and initiative for dialog of civilizations.
Karrubi also pointed to his talks with a number of heads and representatives of some creditable U.S. companies who called for lifting of U.S. sanctions against Iran.
He said in all such meetings Iran's stance was clearly expressed and it was stressed that solution of the existing problems depends on practical measures on the side of the U.S.
The Majlis speaker termed the U.S. measure in hesitating to issue entry visa for some members of the Iranian delegation as a shortcoming which was severely protested even by the UN secretary general and the IPU chairman.
He highlighted the IPU session in New York as a turning point for the world parliaments and said that in meetings on the sideline of the gathering the need was underlined for a change in the structure of the United Nations.
Karrubi said that by organizing the IPU session, the United Nations proved that it appreciates the significance of presence of world parliaments in the settlement of international issues.
He said the issue of the trial of the Jews on charges of espionage and issues relevant to the press in Iran were among questions raised in his meetings with the participant personalities or the press during his 6-day visit to New York.
Hojjatoleslam Karrubi said clear answers were given to those questions and it was stressed that those who were placed on trial on charges of espionage were both Jews and Muslims and that ideology, thinking and religion did not constitute the basis for trial.
The Majlis speaker further remarked that the Leader's message to the Millennium World Peace Summit was warmly welcomed by the gathering.
As for the measure of a number of U.S. senators and congressmen who asked him some questions without any prior arrangement in the course of his visit to the Metropolitan Museum, Karrubi said he gave explicit answers to those questions.
(IRNA)