AUSTRIA’S KLESTIL FIRST WESTERN LEADER TO VISIT ISLAMIC REPUBLIC

By Nina Kamran, IPS Diplomatic Correspondent

VIENNA, (IPS) - Austrian President Thomas Klestil starts from Monday September 20 a  24 hours “thunder visit” to Iran, making him the first head of state from the European Union to visit the country since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

“As a very special sign of closeness and friendship, between Iran and Austria, the Austrian president, Thomas Klestil, is to meet the leader of the Islamic revolution, ayatollah seyed Ali Khameneh’i, Warner Ehrlich, the Austrian ambassador to Tehran has told the official news agency IRNA.

"I think it is something special because he (the leader) has received so far a few western heads of state," the Austrian ambassador added, apparently oblivion that not only Mr. Khameneh’i meets regularly with most senior dignitaries who visit Iran, but his president is the very first Head of a Western nation to visit the Islamic Republic.                                                                

The office of Iranian President described Mr. Klestil’s visit as an “official working visit” to discuss developing and expanding bilateral relations.

News of the trip drew strong criticism from the Iranian opposition, including the Movement of Solidarity with Iranian Students as well as the Austrian Green Party.

(Please read bellow the full letter addressed to President Klestil by the SMCCDI International Committee)

They all urged the president to cancel the trip in view of Tehran's decision to impose death sentence on four leaders of student pro-democracy protests in July.

“Economic interests must not be placed above human rights. An Austrian state visit would be an affront to democratic opposition in Iran”, Green Party leader Alexander van der Bellen said.

The European Parliament on Thursday called on Iran to suspend the death sentences, with some officials suggesting that Tehran's response would determine whether several high-level visits like Klestil's would go ahead.

Klestil will be accompanied by Economics Minister Hannes Farnleitner, Chamber of Commerce President Leopold Maderthaner as well as a 130 men delegation, said to be the biggest Austria has sent to any country, representing about 80 companies.

Former Greek Prime Minister Contantine Mistotakis was the first EU Premier who visited the Islamic Republic in1992 to be followed by the former Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi who visited Iran in June 1998. Reciprocating, Italy became the first Western nation to be visited by an Iranian President when Mr. Khatami visited Rome officially last March. However,

During his stay, the Austrian president is to meet with his Iranian counterpart, President Mohammad Khatami and other senior Iranian officials, including the ex-president and Head of the Expediency Council, ayatollah Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafanjani.                      

Asked about the possibility of warmer talks between the European Union and Iran after the past critical and now constructive dialog, the Austrian Ambassador assured IRNA that the program pursued by president Khatami has contributed substantially to changing the attitudes of many countries particularly those in the EU.                          

“There is no fundamental problem between Iran and the European Union, rather the two sides need dialog to discuss regional problems and better know each other's views”, Herr Ehrlich pointed out.                         

Issues of common interest and concern, cooperation for international security, cooperation for prevention of proliferation of mass destruction weapons, narcotic drugs, human rights as well as dialog amongst civilizations are among other topics to be discussed by the two sides, he said.                                 

The idea of dialogue amongst civilizations too would be another major issue about which the Austrian officials want to discuss with their Iranian counterparts, he said, adding that before president Khatami's initiative there was the idea of “clash of civilizations”.   

Declining oil revenues had taken its toll on Iran Austria trade that stands at US$ 300 millions only and forced a slowdown in some joint-projects, but Herr Leopol Maderthaner, the Head of the Austrian Chamber of Commerce hopes that with the increasing oil prices, the situation could change for the better and it is expected that implementation of these projects would resume in the near future.                    

Elaborating on the bilateral imbalance of trade, he said one should think about how to improve the Iranian position, reminding that “basically” it is a problem for the Iranians since Austria has a competitive and open to all market.

The Austrian oil company OMV has begun discussion with Ian regarding oil exploration and joint investment of US$ 200-250 million on buyback schemes, expecting to ink several accords in the near future, Maderthaner has told IRNA. ENDS IRAN AUSTRIA 19999                                    

Letter from the Committee of Solidarity with Iranian Students to President Klestil

September 18, 1999

His Excellency Dr. Thomas Klestill

The President

Federal Republic of Austria

Hofburg, A-1014 Vienna, Austria

Excellency:

    As the Islamic Republic of Iran continues to disregard human rights and human dignity of its own citizens, we respectfully requests your excellency to reconsider the merits of your planned trip to Iran and to take note of the long term consequences of a visit by a European head of state to the Islamic Republic Government of Iran.

Sadly enough, you are visiting a country whose government has long lost the trust of its people and is by no means the legitimate representative of the people of Iran.

    We are well aware of the fact that this is not the first time that the head of a democratic country is compelled to visit a non-democratic government for economic reasons. 

    Nevertheless, the rapidly unfolding sequences of events in Iran point to the falsehood of the contradictory policies of the Western world with respect to the Islamic government.

    Therefore, at this critical juncture, it is precisely the long-term social, political, and economic cooperation of our two nations that is at stake.

    The good people of Iran abhor the cruel policies of the Islamic regime both in terms of its domestic and international implications.  It is not a moment too soon for the international community to recognize the legitimate aspirations of the people of Iran and to throw its full moral support their way.

     Respectfully yours,

    The SMCCDI International Committee