MAJLES APPROVED OVERWHELMINGLY KHATAMI’S PROPOSED MINISTERS

TEHRAN 23 Aug. (IPS) In another show of the volatility and immaturity of the Iranian politicians, the lawmakers who had said they would reject a minimum of between five to ten of President Mohammad Khatami’s choice of ministers ended Wednesday by approving all of them, including some of the most controversial.

Majles' blanket approval came following the embattled President’s eleventh hour attendance in the House, where he strongly reiterated support for his new team, dubbing it "a congruous and concerted set which is capable of executing the government's plans".

"I chose them because of their high ability in management, besides which they are followers of the Islamic system and have the ability to work together", Hojjatoleslam Khatami told the Majles in a speech in which he stressed his support for the cabinet members ahead of the vote.

But informed sources said Mr. Khatami has almost had no other choice as all the "key" ministers must have the approval of the leader of the regime, Ayatollah Ali Khameneh’i in the one hand and on the other, technocrats and experts he had sought to bring in refused his offer politely, knowing well under present conditions, they could not operate properly.

They added that the deputies who had expressed publicly their objections to the suggested cabinet were warned by both the leader’s and the president’s offices to "review" their position or face eviction from the House.

"The thumbs-up obviously is a relief to the President, who was feared to face a revolt by the parliament's disapproval of some of his choices", the official news agency IRNA commented.

Mr. Khatami surprised everyone; particularly his supporters in the reformists-dominated parliament as well as the coalition that supports him when he presented the list of his new cabinet, where out of the twenty ministers, only four were new comers, the rest served him in his previous term.

Several reformist MMs (Members of the Majles) immediately voiced their anger, assuring they would reject some of the proposed figures, like the Foreign Affairs, Oil, Defence and Economy and Finance ministers, to cite some of them, described as "unfit" for the jobs or not being the kind able to implement the changes the President has promised.

Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi was reinstated with 201 votes, Defence Minister Ali Shamkhani with 195 and Intelligence Minister Hojjatoleslam Ali Younesi with 219 votes.

Interior Minister Hojjatoleslam Abdolvahed Moussavi-Lari attained 203 votes, Islamic Guidance and Culture Minister Ahmad Masjed Jame’i received 184 votes and the much-criticised Oil Minister Bizhan Namdar-Zanganeh came low with 166 votes.

Mr. Khatami won a second landslide victory on June 8 by securing some 77 percent of the votes cast, a manifestation of Iranians' unequivocal backing for his reform programs and detente policies.

But his investiture was marred by a dramatic clash between the Majles and the Judiciary, leading to the leader’s decision to delay the swearing in ceremonies until the dispute between the two rival institutions was over.

Here is the list of President Khatami’s new cabinet, as approved by the Majles:

* Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi

* Defence Ali Shamkhani

* Information Ali Younesi

* Oil Bijan Namdar Zanganeh

* Culture and Islamic Guidance Ahmad Masjed-Jame’i

* Interior Abdolvahed Moussavi-Lari

* Commerce Mohammad Shariatmadari

* Justice Ismail Shoushtari

* Industry and Mines Es,haq Jahangiri

* Economy and Finance Tahmasb Mazaheri (new)

* Education Morteza Haji (new)

* Agriculture Mahmoud Hojjati

* Energy Habibollah Bitaraf

* Transport Ahmad Khorram (new)

* Science, Research and

Technology Mostafa Moin

* Health Massoud Pezeshkian (new)

* Post, Telegraph and Telephone Ahmad Motamedi

* Labor Safdar Hosseini (new)

* Housing Ali Abdolali Zadeh

* Cooperatives Ali Soufi (new)

ENDS CABINET APPROVED 23801