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March 8-12, 1999 / Esfand 17-21,1377
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Today
* The Hague oil producer cuts deal
* Khatami gives upbeat view of Italy trip
* Italy visit a breakthrough for Khatami
Previous
* Khatami ends landmark visit with papal
meeting
* U.S. wary of Iranian president's visit to Italy
* Khatami rebukes Europe for backing Rushdie
* Conservative calls for impeachment of interior minister
* Iran stresses opposition to Turkmen pipeline project
* Pope to hold landmark meeting with Khatami
* Khatami's speech at Florence University
* Iran's Khatami, Italy PM to discuss rights
* Protestors hurl paint at Iranian leader's car
* Conservatives, reformers battle over vote results
* Iranian delegation meets ENI officials
* Saudi defense minister to make first visit to Iran
* Khatami makes anti-nuclear pledge
* Khatami gets red carpet treatment in Italy
* Opposition gathers in Rome: IRNA
* U.S. urges Italy to pressure Khatami
* Larijani says US ties may be in national interest
* Khatami visit to Italy marks new credibility for Iran
* Italian police to disrupt Rome traffic for Khatami
* Iran reformers sweep Tehran elections
* Iran police torture case heightens political tensions
* Criticism mounting against religious court
* Iran says its oil market open to U.S.
* Japan eyes resuming loans to Iran: report
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Friday
March 12, 1999
* The Hague oil producer cuts deal
THE HAGUE, March 12 (Reuters) - Following is the full text of the statement
released at the end of the oil producer talks on Friday: 1) In response
to an invitation by HE Youcef Yousfi, the Minister of Energy and Mines
of Algeria and President of the OPEC Conference, the Minister of Petroleum
of Iran, Bijan Namdar Zangeneh; the Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources
of Saudi Arabia, Ali Al-Naimi; and, the Minister of Energy and Mines of
Venezuela, Ali Rodriguez, met at the Algerian Embassy in The Hague on the
11th and 12th of March, to exchange views on the current situation and
outlook of the international oil market. The Minister of Energy of Mexico
was represented by Adrian Lajous, CEO of PEMEX, the Mexican state oil company
... FULL TEXT
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* Khatami gives upbeat view of Italy trip
TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iranian President Mohammad Khatami described as ``positive''
his landmark visit to Italy this week, saying he managed to put across
his country's new direction and ambitions, state television reported Friday.
But a prominent Iranian official criticized the West for seeking to portray
the trip as a result of Iranian weakness. ``Altogether, I felt that our
goals materialized relatively well,'' the president said on his return
from his three-day trip, the first state visit by an Iranian president
to a West European country since the 1979 Islamic revolution ... FULL
TEXT
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* Italy visit a breakthrough for Khatami
LONDON, March 11 (Reuters) - He came, he saw, he conquered. Iranian
President Mohammad Khatami achieved a foreign policy triumph with his three-day
state visit to Italy, impressing Pope John Paul, charming Italian leaders
and reaching out beyond Rome to the rest of Europe and the United States.
On the first visit by an Iranian head of state to a Western capital since
the 1979 Islamic revolution, Khatami sought to reassure the West by pledging
to promote democracy, fight terrorism and combat the spread of weapons
of mass destruction ... FULL
TEXT
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Thursday
March 11, 1999
* Khatami ends landmark visit with papal meeting
VATICAN CITY, March 11 (AFP) - Iranian President Mohammad Khatami held
25-minute talks here on Thursday with Pope John Paul II on the final day
of a landmark visit to Italy. The pope called the occasion "important
and promising" while Khatami appealed for "the victory of peace
and reconciliation." The pope personally welcomed Khatami on the threshold
of the Vatican's private library. Before their talks started, Khatami joked
with the pope and introduced his delegation. In Farsi, he told Iranian
photograhpers "not to upset the pope." ... FULL
TEXT
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* U.S. wary of Iranian president's visit to Italy
WASHINGTON, March 11 (AFP) - The United States expressed worry Thursday
that Iran might try to use its president's visit to Italy to promote its
international trade. "We believe Iran should not enjoy the benefits
of normal international commerical relations until it ceases activities
that violate international norms," a State Department official said
... FULL TEXT
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* Khatami rebukes Europe for backing Rushdie
TEHRAN, March 11 (AFP) - Iranian President Mohammad Khatami broke from
his pro-Western message in Italy to deliver a stinging rebuke to European
nations which have supported author Salman Rushdie. Khatami criticised
European nations for backing "a person who has desecrated ... the
feelings of more than one billion Moslems" around the world, the official
news agency IRNA reported ... FULL
TEXT
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* Conservative calls for impeachment of interior minister
TEHRAN, March 11 (AFP) - Iranian conservatives stepped up the pressure
Thursday to overturn their defeat in last month's municipal elections as
an MP called for the impeachment of the interior minister over the handling
of the polls. Interior Minister Abdol-Vahed Mussavi-Lari "must be
impeached because he has no intention of abiding by the law," influential
conservative MP Ahmad Rasoolinejad said ... FULL
TEXT
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* Iran stresses opposition to Turkmen pipeline project
TEHRAN, March 10 (AFP) - Iran's oil ministry reiterated its opposition
Wednesday to Turkmenistan's plans for a natural gas pipeline under the
Caspian sea that would bypass the Islamic republic. Iran is the "best
and cheapest route," said Deputy Oil Minister for Caspian affairs
Ali Majedi before leaving for an international oil and gas conference that
began Wednesday in the Turkmen capital of Ashgabad ... FULL
TEXT
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Wednesday
March 10, 1999
* Pope to hold landmark meeting with Iran's Khatami
VATICAN CITY, March 11 (Reuters) - President Mohammad Khatami, blazing
a trail of a new openness in Iran, takes his message of peace and dialogue
to the home of the Roman Catholic faith on Thursday in an historic meeting
with Pope John Paul. In Italy, Khatami made the first state visit by an
Iranian president to the West since the 1979 Islamic revolution. At the
Vatican, he becomes Iran's most senior religious leader to visit the Pope,
who was elected a year before the fall of the Shah ... FULL
TEXT
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* Full text of President Khatami's speech at Florence University
Rome, March 10, IRNA -- The following is the full text of the President's
speech at the European University of Florence where he addressed a group
of academics: ... FULL
TEXT
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* Iran's Khatami, Italy PM to discuss rights
ROME, March 10 (Reuters) - Iranian President Mohammad Khatami, sounding
a theme of peace and reconciliation on his state visit to Italy, was expected
to discuss human rights with Prime Minister Massimo D'Alema on Wednesday.
D'Alema, a former communist, has signalled that while he believes the West
and Iran should push harder towards a firm rapprochement, he will also
make clear to Khatami that more must be done to combat human rights abuses
... FULL
TEXT
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* Protestors hurl paint at Iranian leader's car, 13 arrested
ROME, March 10 (AFP) - Thirteen people were arrested Wednesday after
protestors hurled paint at a car carrying Iranian President Mohammad Khatami
through central Rome, police said. (See photo) Their identities and nationalities
were not immediately disclosed. Police said some were in possession of
eggs filled with paint when they were detained. At least two eggs filled
with yellow paint hit Khatami's car in the protest ... FULL
TEXT
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* Conservatives, reformers battle over meaning of Iran vote results
TEHRAN, March 10 (AFP) - Iran's conservatives on Wednesday tried to
play down sweeping victories by reformers in the Islamic republic's first-ever
municipal elections as both sides battle over interpreting the results.
"Only 30 percent of those eligible participated in the local elections
in Tehran," where reformers backing moderate President Mohammad Khatami
swept all 15 council seats, the conservative Tehran Times said ... FULL TEXT
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* Iranian delegation meets ENI officials
MILAN, March 10 (AFP) - Iranian officials acocmpanying President Mohammad
Khatami have met top executives of the Italian oil giant ENI, delegation
officials said Wednesday. The officials gave no details of the talks or
when they were held. ENI signed a deal earlier this month to develop an
oil field in Iran ... FULL
TEXT
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* Saudi defense minister to make first visit to Iran
TEHRAN, March 10 (AFP) - Saudi Arabia's defense minister, Prince Sultan
ibn Abdel Aziz, will make the first-ever visit by a Saudi defense chief
to Iran in April, the Iranian defense ministry said Wednesday. "The
visit will help strengthen cooperation between the two nations and create
an atmosphere of greater trust," ministry spokesman Keyvan Khosravi
said, quoted by the official news agency IRNA ... FULL
TEXT
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Tuesday
March 9, 1999
* Khatami makes anti-nuclear pledge
ROME, March 9 (Reuters) - Iranian President Mohammad Khatami, on his
first state visit to the West since winning power, said on Tuesday Iran
would work to oppose the spread of nuclear arms and weapons of mass destruction.
Speaking at a banquet hosted by Italian President Oscar Luigi Scalfaro,
Khatami said the Islamic state was also intent on countering all forms
of aggression, including terrorism ... FULL
TEXT
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* Khatami gets red carpet treatment in Italy
ROME, March 9 (Reuters) - Iranian President Mohammad Khatami arrived
in Rome on Tuesday at the start of a three-day state visit to Italy and
the Vatican, seen as opening a new epoch in relations between the Islamic
state and the West. Khatami's Boeing 707 aircraft landed at Ciampino military
airport from Tehran, bringing the first Iranian president to visit Western
Europe since the fall of the Shah in 1979 ... FULL
TEXT
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* Iranian opposition from "across Europe" gathers in Rome:
IRNA
TEHRAN, March 9 (AFP) - Members of Iran's opposition People's Mujahedeen
have gathered in Rome from across Europe to protest the visit of President
Mohammad Khatami, the official news agency IRNA said Tuesday. "They
are planning a protest in the centre of Rome against the Iranian head of
state's visit," IRNA said, adding that members of the opposition group,
which is banned in Iran, had come "from across Europe." Their
presence is "very noteworthy," IRNA said ... FULL
TEXT
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* U.S. urges Italy to pressure Khatami
WASHINGTON, March 9 (Reuters) - The United States, its campaign to isolate
Iran withering, on Tuesday urged Italy to press continuing concerns about
terrorism and nuclear weapons when it hosts Iranian President Mohammed
Khatami this week. State Department spokesman James Rubin, significantly,
did not criticise the visit and stressed that the U.S. goal is to support
Iran's reintegration into the international community ... FULL
TEXT
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* Larijani says US ties may be in national interest
TEHRAN, March 8 (Reuters) - A conservative Iranian parliamentary deputy
said in remarks published on Monday Iran should restore relations with
the United States if it served the national interest. ``Should Iran-America
relations serve our national interests, then officials should naturally
take measures to establish ties,'' Deputy Mohammad Javad Larijani told
Sobh-e Emrouz newspaper ... FULL
TEXT
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Monday
March 8, 1999
* Khatami visit to Italy marks new credibility for Iran
TEHRAN, March 8 (AFP) - President Mohammad Khatami's visit to Italy
this week, the first by an Iranian leader to a western European nation
since the 1979 revolution, marks a major triumph on the road to international
credibility for the Islamic regime. Khatami's visit, which begins Tuesday
and will include talks with Italian President Oscar Luigi Scalfaro and
a Vatican meeting with Pope John Paul II, is the clearest sign yet that
his bid to increase Iran's standing in the eyes of the international community
is succeeding ... FULL
TEXT
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* Italian police to disrupt Rome traffic for Iranian president
ROME, March 8 (AFP) - Police here were planning "exceptional"
security measures, including closing streets to the public, for the arrival
Tuesday of Iranian President Mohammed Khatami, Rome police said Monday.
Several thousand Iranian dissidents are expected to demonstrate late Tuesday
morning in the historical centre of the capital, demonstration organisers
said ... FULL
TEXT
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* Iran reformers score another big win, sweep Tehran elections
TEHRAN, March 8 (AFP) - Reformist supporters of Iranian President Mohammad
Khatami swept all 15 seats on the Tehran municipal council Monday in another
stunning defeat over the Islamic regime's conservatives. The victory is
a powerful endorsement of the president's reform agenda on the eve of his
historic trip to Italy, the first to a western European nation by an Iranian
head of state since the 1979 Islamic revolution ... FULL
TEXT
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* Iran police torture case heightens political tensions
TEHRAN, March 7 (AFP) - The head of security affairs for the Iranian
police is to be tried for torture in a case that has further heightened
simmering political tensions between reformers and hardliners in the Islamic
republic. General Mohammad-Reza Naghdi and 10 other officers will be tried
in a military court on May 3 on charges of beating and torturing top officials
in the Tehran municipal government, it was announced last week ... FULL TEXT
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* Criticism mounting against powerful Iranian religious court
TEHRAN, March 8 (AFP) - Reformers stepped up the pressure on Iran's
special religious court Monday amid growing public anger at one of the
Islamic regime's most hardline institutions. A reformist MP lashed out
at Iran's all-powerful Special Court for Clergy (SCC) over its arrest of
liberal cleric Mohsen Kadivar, who is increasingly being seen here as a
political prisoner in a case that has sparked public demonstrations and
widespread outrage ... FULL
TEXT
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* Iran says its oil market open to US, calls for end to embargo
TEHRAN, March 7 (AFP) - Iran stepped up the pressure to end the US embargo
with the surprise announcement Sunday that US oil companies face "no
obstacle" to doing business in the Iranian oil industry. "There
is no obstacle to US oil companies participating in oil development projects
in Iran," Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi said, clearly referring to
Washington's unilateral trade embargo which prohibits US companies from
doing business here. He underscored the point by stressing that the embargo
served only to hamper US business interests ... FULL
TEXT
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* Japan eyes resuming loans to Iran: report
TOKYO, March 8 (AFP) - Japan has launched negotiations aimed at resuming
low-interest loans to Iran following a six-year-suspension, a report said
Monday. As a first step, Tokyo is to provide at least 100 billion yen (820
million dollars) for Tehran to finance the construction of a hydro-electric
power station on the Karun river in Iran's southwestern provice of Khuzestan,
the Nihon Keizai Shimbun said ... FULL
TEXT
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