IRAN WOULD NOT EXTRADITE AL-QA’EDA PEOPLE TO WASHINGTON
By Behzad Zolnoor
PARIS, FIRST OF FEBRUARY (IPS) "The Islamic Republic would never extradite to America Al-Qa’eda fighters, in case any of them are found in Iran captured", said a high-ranking Iranian official Friday.
"There are no Al-Qa’eda people in Iran and in case some have sneaked in, they would be caught and dealt according to Iranian laws, but not handed over to the United States", stressed Mr. Ali Ahani, Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister for European and American Affairs.
He was referring to recent press reports that Iran had sheltered some Al-Qa’eda terrorists and eventually helped the organisation’s leader, Mr. Osama Ben Laden, to escape to unknown destination using Iranian territory.
Speaking to journalists at the "Centre d’Accueil de la Press Etrangere" (CAPE, or the Foreign Correspondents Club) in Paris, Mr. Ahani strongly countered President George W. Bush’s recent accusations against Iran, saying Washington has no right to interfere in other nations internal affairs or categorise them as dangerous and not dangerous.
In his first State of the Union speech, President Bush said Iran, Iraq and North Korea were forming an "evil axis" by trying to obtain and develop weapons of mass destruction and using them against American and its allies.
Describing Mr. Bush’s remarks as "baseless" and "pure invention", Mr. Ahani observed that European Unions good relations with Iran was a proof of American biased policies and lies concerning Iran.
"Even France agrees that it does not belong to America to distinguish the bad from the good", he said referring to recent statements from the French Foreign Minister Hubert Vedrine", the Iranian official stressed.
He said the Bush Administration had not been able to adopt a coherent policy about Iran. "One day he makes irrational accusations and the morning after his foreign affairs deputy says Washington is ready to talk to Iran", Mr. Ahani, a former ambassador to Paris observed.
He described as baseless charges Iran was developing nuclear arms, saying that Iran’s atomic projects are legal, open to international controls and international observers have confirmed that the plant under construction with Russian assistance and technology in the Persian Gulf of Busher has a peaceful purposes.
Touching on the issue of fighting terrorism, Mr. Ahani said the United Nations has yet to find a clear-cut definition for terrorism. "One must not allow some country to impose their own definition of terrorism and divide others as bad cops good cops", he added in a clear reference to Mr. Bush’s remarks about the subject.
"The United nations, not America, must lead the struggle against international terrorism", he said, adding that Iran raised the issue with the UN’s Secretary General Kofi Annan during his recent visit to Tehran.
He said 11 September "tragedy" was an "opportunity" for consolidating
international relations that was lost because of bad American behaviour and invited the world community "not to let such a golden opportunity to be lost".
Tehran-Washington relations improved slightly after Iran condemned the 11 September attacks attributed to the Al-Qa’eda organisation, but the "honeymoon" soured following a series of strong attacks by the Iranian leader, Ayatollah Ali Khameneh'i condemning American military intervention in Afghanistan he said was a war against the Muslim people of the war-ruined neighbour.
"Iran and France had "similar views" on most issues, including the situation in Afghanistan, a subject he discussed with French officials, among them the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee chairman and high-ranking diplomats.
"Both Iran and France are committed to helping stability in Afghanistan as well as in the reconstruction of the war-shattered nation", he told newsmen over questions about Iranian involvement in Afghanistan against the UN-installed interim government of Mr. Hamid Karzai, citing Iran’s half a billion US Dollars pledge for the war-shattered Afghanistan.
Asked about the prospect of Afghanistan adopting a Western-type secular system, Mr. Ahani said though Iran would like its eastern neighbour being ruled by an Islamic government, but it would respect the will of Afghan people. "After all, Turkey is also a secular country but we have friendly relation with Ankara. The same, we wish to have brotherly ties with out Afghan brothers", he said.
"Iran would assist Mr. Karzai government in developing Afghanistan and maintaining peace and stability in his country", Mr. Ahani assured in reply to a question that British Foreign Relations Minister Jack straw remarks that Iranian leadership was divided over the Afghan issue.
Mr. Ahani described the situation as "worrisome" and expressed "deep concern" over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, blaming the Jewish State’s "expansionist and hegemonic policies against the oppressed Palestinian Muslim people".
"By creating the Karine A scenario, Israel wanted to tarnish the image of Yaser Arafat, to weaken and discredit him in order to put a final end to all negotiations", the Iranian diplomat said, referring to Israeli and American charges that Iran helped smuggling 50 to 80 tons of Iranian-made arms and ammunitions for the Palestinian Authority.
He said Israel presented contradictory versions about the "fabricated" "Karine A" affair, by saying first that the ship was loaded at the (Iranian) island of Kish but then they cited the Qeshm island after Iran said Kish did not have berthing facilities for such cargos.
"Knowing well that the route to be taken by the ship up to Palestine is strictly under American and Israel control, how could we be foolish in participating in such a groundless scenario", he said, adding that even presence of weapons made by one country does not mean that that nation has had a hand in the transactions.
Answering questions on Iran’s support for the Lebanese Hezbollah, Mr. Ahani confirmed Iran has "political ties" with the organisation that is on the American list of "terrorist groups".
"Hezbollah is an official, legal Lebanese party that is present at the Beirut’s Parliament. Supporting the Hezbollah’s struggle for the liberation of their homeland from Zionist occupation is not a crime", he noted.
On relations with Iraq and the recent visit of Iraqi Foreign Minister to Tehran, Mr. Ahani said as neighbours enjoying mutual cultural, religious and historic ties, it was "natural" that the two establish good relations with each other and hoped that some remaining issues from the war time, as the questions of the POW, would find equitable solution.
Beside the thorny question of the prisoners, Baghdad also want to get back the 200 war and civilian planes it send to Iran during the Gulf war to save them from destruction under Allied bombings, but Iran says it received 29 units only, some in very poor conditions. ENDS AHANI PARIS CONF 1202