IRAN AND GERMANY TO OPEN NEW CHAPTER IN THEIR RELATIONS

By Nader Sardari

BERLIN 7^TH March. (IPS) Iran and Germany opened a "new chapter" in their troubled relations with both sides expressing "sincere hopes" to see "improved ties between the two nations serving not only their interest but also contributing to the European, Middle East and international peace and prosperity".

"In light of talks between Iranian and German officials and arrangements made for president Mohammad Khatami's visit to Germany, new chapter would be opened in bilateral ties and co-operation between the two nations", Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi hoped.

Iran-German relations improved recently after a decade of tensions following the assassination in Berlin in September 1992 of 4 Iranian Kurdish leaders by the Iranian Intelligence Ministry, the condemnation of the "entire Iranian leadership, including Ayatollah Ali Khameneh'i the leader of the regime and Ayatollah Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, the then President" by a Berlin Court in April 1997 and the subsequent jailing in Iran of a German businessman on charges of sexual relations with anIranian Muslim woman.

Mr. Fischer confirmed that there exist some problems. "But we should work to resolve them. The German government is ready to reinforce bilateral relations with Iran and I think the Iranian nation with its own democratic decision has created an opportunity which we should make use of", he said, adding that one has to "put behind the Mykonos period and not allow it to happen again.

The first German Foreign Minister to visit Iran in the past decade, Mr. Fischer, from the Green Party, Mr. Schroeder's junior partner in the German Socialist-led coalition government, ended his thunder visit Tuesday, reiterating an earlier invitation to Mr. Khatami to officially visit Germany.

He arrived in Tehran on Monday at the heels of his Italian counterpart, Lamberto Dini and is expected to be followed by the British and French Foreign Ministers.

Receiving in audience Mr. Fischer, President Mohammad Khatami told him that the strategy of his government was based on détente with Iran having decided to create an atmosphere of mutual understanding and respect with other countries in the region and the world.

"So far, our policy has been successful", he pointed out, saying that Iran's experience of conducting religion with democratic principles could serve interest of peace, prosperity and stability in the world.

He said Iran's policy of dialog amongst cultures had been put forward with the aim of creating a world "free of tyranny, injustice, discrimination, poverty, fratricide and illegitimate domination".

Reiterating Chancellor Shroedder's invitation to Mr. Khatami, Fischer said his country is looking forward to welcoming the Iranian president since the visit can serve as "an effective step towards the restoration and consolidation of bilateral ties".

Speaking during a joint press conference, the Iranian Foreign Minister said that after going through tough periods in their relations, Tehran and Berlin can now create a new atmosphere conducive for joint efforts to serve the interests of the two countries, the Iranian official news agency IRNA reported.

He said by removing obstacles, Germany can contribute more actively to Iran's third five-year development plan (2000-2005).

As the two men were answering questions from local and foreign journalists, moe than 400 Iranians wounded and disabled during the war against Iraq by German-supplied lethal chemical weapons to Iraq were demonstrating outside German Embassy in central Tehran.

Mr. Kharrazi condemned German companies that supplied Iraq with chemical arms during the war and called on the German government to adopt "fundamental measures" in dealing with the issue and healing the wounds of the victims.

For his part, Fischer denounced German companies attitude, saying "if it has been done, it has been illegal and the German government vehemently condemn it."

Touching on the Middle-Eastern issues including the Israel plan to withdrew its forces from South Lebanon before next July, both men welecomed the decision

"From the viewpoint of the Islamic Republic, it is the duty of Israel to withdraw its troops from southern Lebanon and Hezbollah of Lebanon has a legitimate right to resist the occupiers. If Israel withdraws from southern Lebanon, it will be a victory for the Islamic resistance, but, we are not optimistic that Israel will honour the United Nations resolutions and pull out of Lebanon," Mr. Kharrazi said.

Mr. Fischer said Germany welcomes the decision taken by the Israeli cabinet to withdraw from Lebanon and hope that the withdrawal will lead to a treaty on regional peace. "We support the Middle East Peace Process and hope that the rights of the Syrians, the Lebanese, the Jordanians and the Palestinians will be restored. The war should turn into peace and if Iran uses its influence to take constructive part in this respect, we will welcome it," Mr. Fischer pointed out.

He described Iran as "a factor of stability in the region".

On possible release of the Iranian nationals kept as political prisoners in Germany including Kazem Darabi the Iranian high ranking Intelligence officer who masterminded the assassination of the 4 Kurdish leaders, Mr. Fischer said "several people have been killed and a court has carried out legal proceedings according to law. In Germany the judiciary is separate from the executive branch of government,'' he reminded.

However, the visits were marred by the sudden, dramatic tension in relations between Tehran and Brussels following orders issued by a Belgian Judge to the Police to investigate charges of crime against humanity filed by an unidentified Belgian of Iranian origin against former Iranian president Ayatollah Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani.

Tehran has accused Brussels of "gross, brazen and blatant" interference in Iranian internal affairs and urged the Belgian government for both official apology to Iranian people and compensations.

Iranian officials and media, from left and right, have also accused Judge Damien Vandermeersch of having filed an international warrant against Mr. Rafsanjani, accusing the magistrate of being manipulated by "Israel, the United States, European and world Zionists"

Summoned the Iranian Foreign Ministry to get an official protest, Belgian Ambassador in Tehran indicated that there was no such mandate against the Chairman of the Expediency Council and anyhow, the Justice in his country was independent.

Questioned on the issue, Mr. Fischer refused to comment, contrary to his Italian counterpart who was quoted by the Iranian press as having said that the matter had "nothing to do with the European Union". "You should ask the question from the Belgians", Mr. Fischer said.

Answering the same question, the Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi confirmed that Iranian laws based on Islamic Canon does not accept the western and universal principle of independent justice.

"In telephone contact I had with the Belgian Foreign Minister Louis Michel I told him that the matter of independence of the judiciary is acceptable for only inside the territory of a country not for the beyond the borders and the Brussels government is responsible for the actions of all government offices including the judiciary when their practices run counter to the international criteria", he explained.

However, he agreed that no verdict has been issued yet. "Only a complaint has been lodged with the court from which the Belgian government has distanced itself and is working to settle the matter", he pointed out, offering no explanation for the orchestrated furry the complaint had created in Iran.

"What happened in Belgium was not supported by the European Union as all the organisation's members are willing to develop relations with Iran and we welcomes this approach", he added. ENDS IRAN GERMANY 8300