DATE=1/9/98

TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT

NUMBER=5-38636

TITLE=U-S-IRANIAN RELATIONS

BYLINE=NEAL LAVON

DATELINE=WASHINGTON

CONTENT=

VOICED AT: 



INTRO:   THIS WEEK'S (C-N-N) TELEVISION INTERVIEW OF IRANIAN 

PRESIDENT MOHAMMED KHATAMI IS CAREFULLY BEING EXAMINED BY MIDDLE 

EAST EXPERTS AND SCHOLARS.  THE IRANIAN LEADER PROPOSED CULTURAL 

EXCHANGES BETWEEN HIS COUNTRY AND THE UNITED STATES AS A WAY TO 

OPEN A DIALOGUE WITH THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. BUT HE CRITICIZED U-S 

FOREIGN POLICY TOWARD IRAN AND DID NOT OFFER TO PURSUE 

GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS.  V-O-A'S NEAL LAVON REPORTS ON HOW THIS 

INTERVIEW MAY AFFECT DIPLOMACY BETWEEN WASHINGTON AND TEHRAN, AND

THE IMPACT U-S EXPERTS THINK IT WILL HAVE IN IRAN.



TEXT:       THE UNITED STATES BROKE DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH 

IRAN IN 1979 FOLLOWING TEHRAN'S SUPPORT OF STUDENT RADICALS WHO 

STORMED THE U-S EMBASSY AND HELD 52 AMERICAN HOSTAGES FOR 444 

DAYS.

 

SINCE THEN, THE DIPLOMATIC CONTACTS BETWEEN THE TWO NATIONS HAVE 

BEEN LIMITED. WASHINGTON AND TEHRAN HAVE COOPERATED ON OVERSEEING

A CEASE-FIRE IN THE AFGHANISTAN CONFLICT. THEY ALSO NEGOTIATED 

SOME FINANCIAL SETTLEMENTS STEMMING FROM THE DOWNING OF AN 

IRANIAN AIRLINER IN 1988 BY A U-S CRUISER THAT KILLED 290 

CIVILIANS. THE TWO COUNTRIES ALSO HAVE AGREED ON SOME ISSUES 

ARISING FROM A MONETARY DISPUTE BEFORE THE INTERNATIONAL COURT OF

JUSTICE.



BUT THE UNITED STATES AND IRAN DISAGREE ON NUMEROUS REGIONAL 

ISSUES IN THE MIDDLE EAST.  SOME OF THESE ISSUES, SUCH AS AID TO 

IRAN'S ENERGY INDUSTRY FROM FIRMS IN RUSSIA, FRANCE AND MALAYSIA,

HAVE SPILLED OVER TO U-S FOREIGN AND ECONOMIC RELATIONS. 

CURRENTLY, U-S LAW BARS FOREIGN COMPANIES FROM INVESTING 

20-MILLION DOLLARS OR MORE IN IRAN'S ENERGY SECTORS. THE UNITED 

STATES IS BELIEVED TO BE ON THE VERGE OF FINING THOSE FIRMS, A 

MOVE THAT WOULD BE VEHEMENTLY OPPOSED BY MANY U-S TRADING 

PARTNERS.

 

FORMER UNDERSECRETARY OF STATE JOSEPH SISCO SAYS BOTH THE UNITED 

STATES AND IRAN NEED TO REACH AN ACCOMMODATION. IF NOT, HE SAYS, 

WASHINGTON MAY RISK LOSING INFLUENCE IN THE MIDDLE EAST.



                        /// SISCO ACT ///



         THE REALITY IS THAT AT LEAST A MODICUM OF

         COOPERATION HAS TO BE ACHIEVED BETWEEN THE

         UNITED STATES AND IRAN. OTHERWISE, WE'RE GOING

         TO END UP IN A SITUATION WHERE THE RUSSIANS ARE

         TOTALLY DOMINANT. AND I THINK THERE IS A

         RECOGNITION OF THIS MUTUALITY OF INTEREST.



                         /// END ACT ///



SOME MIDDLE EAST SCHOLARS IN AMERICA BELIEVE PRESIDENT KHATAMI'S 

INTERVIEW WILL ALSO HAVE AN IMPACT IN IRAN. ROBERT LIEBER, 

PROFESSOR OF GOVERNMENT AT (WASHINGTON'S) GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY, 

SAYS THE IRANIAN LEADER WAS SENDING A MESSAGE TO RELIGIOUS  

CONSERVATIVES IN TEHRAN.



                       /// LIEBER ACT ///



         PERHAPS THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT ELEMENT IN THAT

         SPEECH, OR THAT TALK, WAS PRESIDENT KHATAMI'S STATEMENT

         THAT LIBERTY AND RELIGION WERE NOT IRRECONCILABLE.

         THAT'S OBVIOUSLY AIMED AGAINST THE HARD-LINERS IN 

         IRAN WHO INSIST ON THE EXTREME RELIGIOUS ORTHODOXY

         AT THE EXPENSE OF THE IRANIAN PEOPLE.



                         /// END ACT ///



THE UNITED STATES SAYS IT IS TAKING A LOOK AT SOME OF THE 

EXISTING  SANCTIONS AGAINST IRAN, SUCH AS THE ONES ON INVESTING 

IN TEHRAN'S ENERGY INDUSTRY.  THAT VIEW IS ENCOURAGED BY SOME 

MIDDLE EAST SCHOLARS.  BUT OTHERS OPPOSE IT, INSISTING IRAN HAS 

OFFERED NOTHING NEW AND IS NOT INTERESTED IN CHANGING ITS SUPPORT

OF TERRORISM, OPPOSITION TO THE MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS AND 

PURSUIT OF WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION. (SIGNED) 



NEB/NL/RRM



     







09-Jan-98 4:51 PM EST (2151 UTC)

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Source: Voice of America

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