IRAN'S FIRST REFORMIST-DOMINATED MAJLES OPENED

TEHRAN 27TH May (IPS) The sixth Majles (parliament) of the Islamic Republic of Iran was formally inaugurated Saturday by a smiling President Mohammad Khatami who, in his address to the new 290-seats Assembly stressed on the "heavy, fundamental responsibility" of the new Legislative in "securing and guaranteeing full political, social and economic security and stability based on the Constitution".

The on time inauguration of the Majles, the first ever to be fully dominated by the moderates marks a great victory for both the President and the reformists as the conservatives, ever since their historic and humiliating defeat at the polls, had spared no efforts, including dissuasion, provocation, assassination, shut down of almost all independent press, propaganda war, threat of military coup and massive frauds to close the new Parliament.

Describing the new Majles as the "emanation of the epic presence of an aware and intelligent people" who wants to live "free and proud" in the "complex and rapidly changing world" by eliminating all obstacles "hindering its retard", Mr. Khatami called on the new deputies to co-operate with the Government in helping improve the economic structure and management of the country by carrying out the objectives of the Third Development Plan.

However, Iranian observers and political analysts predicts and expects "many turbulence" ahead for the new Assembly since the new reformist majority has enlisted among it's priorities not only the removal of several unpopular laws passed hastily by the precedent Majles, chief among them the new press law that terribly curbs press freedom but also, as stressed by the president, the revival of clauses of the present Constitution that were obstructed by the ruling conservatives, including creation of political parties and unions and freedom of expression.

According to the Constitution, the 12-members Council of Guardians must approve all bills approved by the Majles as conformed to Islamic laws. Even if approved with the unanimity of the full House, anyone of the six clerics appointed by the leader to the Council can reject the bill. In case the Majles and the Council could not reach compromise, the matter would go to the Expediency Council that is chaired by Mr. Hashemi Rafsanjani and there the vindictive former president can take his revenge on the reformists who caused his humiliating defeat at the polls, observers notes.

Mr. Khatami entered the Majles's semicircle accompanied with his predecessor, Ayatollah Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani who, 24 hours before the inauguration, had announced his resignation as a Tehran deputy, thus putting an end to a bitter controversy over his election, an event that badly tarnished his own image but also discredited the conservatives-controlled Council of Guardians.

The Council had ridiculed itself and infuriated the voters by placing Mr. Rafsanjani among the 30 elected candidates of the Capital although he had not received enough votes to enter the parliament in the first round.

The obvious vote rigging resulted in anti-Rafsanjani, anti-Council, anti-public media demonstrations by students chanting "Shah, Shah, Akbar Shah, Say, Say Death to Shah" or "Jannati, Jannati, Shame on you, Jannati, Abandon Frauding", Jannati, Jannati, Thou are People's Enemy" and "Ali Larijani Hang Must Be. American Visage, Shut Must Be", a refrence to Ayatollah Ali Jannati, the Secretary of the Guardians and Mr. Ali Larijani, the leader-appointed General Director of the State-run Radio and Television.

Observers attached particular importance to a passage of Mr. Khatami's speech where, in total contrast with a ruling by the Expediency Council that is chaired by Mr. Rafsanjani, he pointed out that the Majles, as the "manifestation of the Republican system and the fundamental pillar of regime's legitimacy and the Constitution had the right to investigate and intervene in all the nation's affairs".

In the ruling, that was approved by the outgoing conservatives-controlled Assembly, the Expediency Council had forbid the Parliament the right to investigate administrations and institutions that are under the control of the leader.

"No activity will be carried out in the country except with the express approval of the Majles, and no issue within the country can be outside the fold of its responsibility", the president stated, adding that the Majles was the "symbol of national unity and the backbone of national interests, security and stability".

Noteworthy was also the moderate tone of the leader's inaugural speech that was read to the audience by Hojjatoleslam Mohammadi Golpayegani, the influential Director of his private cabinet.

While stressing on the importance for the Majles to "upheld Islamic values and revolution's achievements", a contrast with the President's insistence on the "people's will" and "republicanism", Mr. Khameneh'i nevertheless highlighted the "harmony and unanimity" of the majority in the new Majles with the Government.

"The first and most important task of the new MPs must be the unfolding of people's basic problems and difficulties", Mr. Khameneh'i indicated, citing security, unemployment, the (dwindling) value of the national currency, rising prices etc. among these difficulties.

"It will be a grave mistake if people's real demands are ignored and private, political or party interests replaces national interests", he said in an obvious and surprising criticism of the last Majles, one that, in the last three years at least, had acted more as an instrument in the service and interests of the ruling conservatives opposed to reforms promised by the President.

He also urged the new parliament to co-operate with the government of president Khatami whom he qualified as "a true faithful and revolutionary" in responding to people's demands and aspirations.

"The new Majles can either function as a means of achieving national consensus, calm or public confidence or be a source of division, concern or agitation", Mr. Khameneh'i said in his message, adding that the most tangible gift the deputies can offer to the nation which they represent is "to put hope and enthusiasm" in people's hearts and to enable society "to enjoy an atmosphere of tranquillity through their words and deeds".

"Obviously the government is also ready to employ all specialised facilities to enable the Majles to fulfil its duty in the formulation of proper and efficient laws and of guiding state institutions in achieving their tasks within the framework of the law", Mr. Khatami promised.

Stressing that today upgrading the efficiency of the system is a "collective responsibility", the president said the present society is young, enthusiastic and dynamic which demands solution to its problems through employment of all available facilities.

"Now, with the opening of the sixth Majles which represents this generation, it is hoped that such a divine and national responsibility will be optimally fulfilled, the president further observed.

Pointing out that the "fabricated crisis" of recent years had left "unpleasant impacts" on Iran's international image and relations, Mr. Khatami said what people expects from the new Majles was to "practice prudence and vigilance" and provide a calm and reliable atmosphere in order to better serve the people and further consolidating pillars of the Islamic Republic system under which more intellectuals and technocrats will appear on the scene of the administration of the country", the official news agency IRNA reported from the Majles.

Mr. Mohammad Ali Sheikh, a deputy from Shushtar, Khuzestan Province, the most aged MP elected as the provisory Speaker said that the new Majles has made no eternal promise with any particular group or person, adding that in its four-year term, it will make efforts to find solutions to the people's problems, especially in economic field.

Analysing the new Majles, IRNA's Mehrdad Roshangar noted that due to the plurality of the political groups in the sixth Majles, the process of decision-making will be more time-consuming than in the previous parliament where there were only two factions, specially where critical and difficult issues are concerned.

Analysts believe that the new MPs are not duty-bound to vote with the organisation that promoted their candidacies (May 23 Front). The analysts point to the lack of organised political parties as a reason for the MPs not being obliged to vote along the lines suggested by the May 23 Front, he wrote.

One thing almost all analysts agree upon is that gaining the majority of seats in the 6th Majlis by the Second of Khordad Front does not necessarily mean a smooth path for President Khatami and his reform policies.

Here are some interesting highlights of the inaugural ceremonies and about the new Chamber:

* Representatives of the religious minorities, the Jews, Christians and Zoroastrians took the oath on their own holy books.

* There were more "mokkalla" (civilians) than "mo'amam" (clerics) than previsous Majles, many of them, wearing modern clothing, particularly female MP's, though draped in the compulsory black chador.

* Contrary to the last Majlis that had a large conservative majority and a minor reformist minority, the one has several factions, the largest belonging to the Islamic Iran Participation Party (IIPP) which is that of President Khatami and led by his younger brother, Mohammad Reza, a Physician, the Executives of Construction Party (ECP) that belonged to Mr. Hashemi Rafsanjani but now has been split, the Coalition of Imam's Line Forces (CILF) led by the younger brother of the leader, Hadi, a Presidential adviser opposed to his brother as well as the Association of the Militant Clergymen) led by Hojjatoleslam Mehdi Karrubi and other smaller groups.

* The conservatives, now a tiny minority, are expected to change the name if not the look, and be called "The Moderation and Development Faction". They face the harder task of finding a leader, now that Mr. Hashemi Rafsanjani has defected.

* The education level of the MPs is higher than all previous Majles in the one hand and the average of age is also younger.

* The last but certainly not the least, contrary to other democracies, in the Islamic regime of Iran, the Majles is not the only Legislative body, as the system has a supreme leader in Ayatollah Ali Khameneh'i who stands above laws and has all the rights. ENDS MAJLES INAUGURATION 27500