مينا بهارمست، امير مصدق كاتوزيان، مصاحبه با احمد زيدآبادي
Summary of Today's BroadcastRFE/RL Persian ServiceSunday, March 17, 2002 - Reactions to Senator Biden?s Invitation - Leader Adds Six to the Expediency Council - Expediency Council Rules on Budget Disputes - Minorities campaign for equality of damage compensation - Economists comment on government-owned businesses Factions React to Senator Biden?s Invitation * Reacting to Senator Biden?s invitation to Majles MP?s for direct talks with US legislators, cabinet spokesman Abdollah Ramazani said the government does not oppose such meetings, adding that they would help eliminate mistrust. However, he said, the cabinet is against any foreign interference in Iran?s domestic affairs. In an interview with RFE/RL, Tehran-based foreign policy analyst Ahmad Zeidabadi says no negotiation can take place between the US and Iran without a green light from the Leader. He adds that the government would not consider as ?official? any talks that might take place between Majles MP?s and their American counterparts at the 107th Inter Parliamentary Conference, to be held March 17-23 in Marrakech. Zeidabadi says the hard-line foreign policy positions of Ali Akbar Mohtashami, head of the pro-reform coalition, are closer to the conservatives? positions and are not accepted by the majority of the reformists. Former President Hashemi-Rafsanjani changes his position on relations with the US according to the latest news, says Zeidabadi, adding that Rafsanjani promoted d‚tente with the US when he was president. But now, since he is not in a position to carry it out himself, he opposes negotiations between the reformist Khatami government and the US. (Amir-Mosaddegh Katouzian) Leader Appoints Six to the Expediency Council * New appointees to the Expediency Council do not change the political makeup of the Council, since they are divided equally between the two factions, according to Mohsen Sazegara, a political analyst in Iran. He tells RFE/RL that reformists should not antagonize the Expediency Council, as they have the Guardians Council. New appointments to the Expediency Council are not political, says Tehran University professor Sadeq Zibakalam. He tells RFE/RL that most of the new appointees are supported by Expediency Council head Rafsanjani, and are technocrats who can solve problems. Referring to the reformists? earlier demand to have equal representation on the Council, Zibakalam says the reformists cannot expect the other side to vacate their seats for their sake. (Mehdi Khalaji) Expediency Council Ruling on the Majles-Guardians Dispute over the Budget Bill * The Expediency Council favored the Guardians Council on two out of five disputed budget items which related to the factional power struggle and the authority of the Leader ? the line items for intelligence office of the armed forces and the auction of used police cars. However, on two economic items -- foreign borrowing and privatization of some power plants -- the Expediency Council supported the Majles and the Khatami government. On one matter, where Majles had emphasized in the budget bill the need for private investment in Internet-related businesses, the Expediency Council agreed with the Majles, but also supported the Guardians? position that legislation should follow the guidelines set by the High Council on Educational Revolution. (Alireza Taheri) State Enterprises and the Iranian Economy Four economists in Tehran and Paris comment about the role of government-owned companies in the Iranian economy. * Dr. Morteza Imani-Rad estimates that government-owned companies produce at least fifty percent of Iran?s GNP. Some 65% or 70% of Iranian industries are government-owned, including oil and gas, steel, petrochemicals and electric power. * Dr. Mehdi Taqavi, another economist in Tehran, tells RFE/RL that privatization would result in better management and avoid wasteful spending and unnecessary hiring. * Dr. Jamshid Asadi, a Paris-based economist, says those who benefit from monopolies and special relations with the government should be considered as a part of the public sector economy. These include bazaar merchants close to the conservative Jamiat-e Mo?talefeh, the sons of high-level clerics, semi-private foundations and the hidden economic institutions. (Fereydoun Zarnegar) Religious Minorities Campaign for Equality with Muslims in Iran * Hoping to gain equality with Muslims, Iranian religious minorities believe they are close to receiving an endorsement from the Leader for the judiciary bill that would equalize for followers of all officially sanctioned religions in Iran the ?dieh? or damages due to victims of murder and assault. Yunatan Bitkuliha, Majles representative for the Assyrians, tells RFE/RL that all five religious minority MP?s worked on the bill to change what he terms as ?unfair? treatment of minorities. Vaheh Armen, a Christian poet and writer, tells RFE/RL that all minorities living in Iran pay equal taxes and should have equal protections. Tehran-based lawyer Mohammad Hussein Aghasi tells RFE/RL that, according to the IRI civil code, non-Muslims are not due any damages in case of death or injury. He adds that a religious ruling by major clerics set the damage for minority men at eight percent and for minority women at four percent of the damage due to a Muslim man. The bill to equalize this figure might face objections from the Guardians Council, unless the Leader endorses it. (Golnaz Esfandiari) Economy and the New Year Shopping and Travel The rush to stores for buying gifts and new clothes for the Iranian New Year celebrations on March 20, and the tourism activity during the new year holidays, should give a jolt to the dormant economy, especially to the tourism sector. (Fereydoun Khavand) WORLD - During Zinni peace mission, violence continues in occupied territories. (Jamshid Chalangi, Cairo) - King Abdullah of Jordan comments on the Middle East and fight against terrorism in an interview with Le Figaro. (Jean Khakzad, Paris) - In an interview with RFE/RL, professor Gabila Si, one of the 500 Israeli academicians who wrote to the UNSG demanding peace, explains the position of the peace faction in Israel. (Ahmad Ra?fat, Rome) - Five die in a bomb explosion in a church in Islamabad, Pakistan, including wife and daughter of an American diplomat. (Golnaz Esfandiari) - UK predicts EU will take hard measures against Robert Mugabe?s government in Zimbabwe. (Alireza Taheri) - Anti-globalism rally following EU summit meeting in Barcelona generates violent confrontations with police. (Jean Khakzad, Paris) - Oxford University will hold a conference on security and government, says Keyvan Tabari, a US-based legal scholar who plans to attend. (Shahran Tabari, London) - Dubai holds shopping festival. (Jamshid Chalangi, Cairo) - German philosopher Hans Georg Gadamer dies. (Obituary by Mehdi Khalaji) ARTS AND IDEAS New Thinking in Contemporary History * Inspired by a Russian princess, two Iranian Qajar-era reformists wrote social criticism from the point of view of a donkey. (Javad Tabatabai, Nazi Azima) Historical Research: Government in the Passage of Time * Tehran-based professor of political thought discusses the roots of renaissance. (Gholamhussein Mirzasaleh) Interview of the Week * Professor of Persian language and literature in Beijing University and the former head of Persian Department of that university, Dr. Zeng Yang Chin, tells RFE/RL about his three-volume Chinese-Persian-Chinese dictionaries, and the translation of Persian proverbs on which he is currently working. (Shahram Tehrani, Beijing)
در پي دعوت سناتور جوزف بايدن از نمايندگان مجلس شوراي اسلامي براي مذاكره مستقيم، عبدالله رمضان زاده، سخنگوي دولت گفت ديدار نمايندگان مجلس شوراي اسلامي با قانونگذاران آمريكايي براي از ميان بردن عدم اعتماد متقابل، از نطر دولت بلا مانع است، ولي دولت با هرگونه مداخله در امور داخلي مخالف است. احمد زيدآبادي، روزنامه نگار در تهران، در مصاحبه با راديوآزادي مي گويد تاموقعي كه رهبر جمهوري اسلامي چراغ سبز نشان ندهد، مذاكره امكان پذير نيست. وي مي افزايد گفتگوي نمايندگان مجلس دو كشور با يكديگر در كنفرانس بين المجالس مغرب از نظر دولت، مذاكره با آمريكا محسوب نمي شود. زيدآبادي مي گويد مواضع علي اكبر محتشمي، رييس فراكسيون دوم خرداد، در امور خارجي به محافظه كاران نزديك تر است و مورد تاييد جناح دوم خرداد نيست. زيدآبادي مي افزايد هاشمي رفسنجاني ترجيح مي دهد بهبود روابط با آمريكا از كانال خود او انجام شود و چون در حال حاضر در مقامي نيست كه بتواند اين كار را انجام دهد، به احتمال زياد با گفتگوي دولت اصلاح طلب با آمريكا مخالفت خواهد ورزيد. وي مي افزايد با توجه به اظهارنظرهاي ضدو نقيض رفسنجاني در باره آمريكا، به نظر مي رسد كه او تحليل مشخصي از اوضاع ندارد و بر اساس موج هاي خبري تحليل خود را عوض مي كند.
Summary of Today's BroadcastRFE/RL Persian ServiceSunday, March 17, 2002 - Reactions to Senator Biden?s Invitation - Leader Adds Six to the Expediency Council - Expediency Council Rules on Budget Disputes - Minorities campaign for equality of damage compensation - Economists comment on government-owned businesses Factions React to Senator Biden?s Invitation * Reacting to Senator Biden?s invitation to Majles MP?s for direct talks with US legislators, cabinet spokesman Abdollah Ramazani said the government does not oppose such meetings, adding that they would help eliminate mistrust. However, he said, the cabinet is against any foreign interference in Iran?s domestic affairs. In an interview with RFE/RL, Tehran-based foreign policy analyst Ahmad Zeidabadi says no negotiation can take place between the US and Iran without a green light from the Leader. He adds that the government would not consider as ?official? any talks that might take place between Majles MP?s and their American counterparts at the 107th Inter Parliamentary Conference, to be held March 17-23 in Marrakech. Zeidabadi says the hard-line foreign policy positions of Ali Akbar Mohtashami, head of the pro-reform coalition, are closer to the conservatives? positions and are not accepted by the majority of the reformists. Former President Hashemi-Rafsanjani changes his position on relations with the US according to the latest news, says Zeidabadi, adding that Rafsanjani promoted d‚tente with the US when he was president. But now, since he is not in a position to carry it out himself, he opposes negotiations between the reformist Khatami government and the US. (Amir-Mosaddegh Katouzian) Leader Appoints Six to the Expediency Council * New appointees to the Expediency Council do not change the political makeup of the Council, since they are divided equally between the two factions, according to Mohsen Sazegara, a political analyst in Iran. He tells RFE/RL that reformists should not antagonize the Expediency Council, as they have the Guardians Council. New appointments to the Expediency Council are not political, says Tehran University professor Sadeq Zibakalam. He tells RFE/RL that most of the new appointees are supported by Expediency Council head Rafsanjani, and are technocrats who can solve problems. Referring to the reformists? earlier demand to have equal representation on the Council, Zibakalam says the reformists cannot expect the other side to vacate their seats for their sake. (Mehdi Khalaji) Expediency Council Ruling on the Majles-Guardians Dispute over the Budget Bill * The Expediency Council favored the Guardians Council on two out of five disputed budget items which related to the factional power struggle and the authority of the Leader ? the line items for intelligence office of the armed forces and the auction of used police cars. However, on two economic items -- foreign borrowing and privatization of some power plants -- the Expediency Council supported the Majles and the Khatami government. On one matter, where Majles had emphasized in the budget bill the need for private investment in Internet-related businesses, the Expediency Council agreed with the Majles, but also supported the Guardians? position that legislation should follow the guidelines set by the High Council on Educational Revolution. (Alireza Taheri) State Enterprises and the Iranian Economy Four economists in Tehran and Paris comment about the role of government-owned companies in the Iranian economy. * Dr. Morteza Imani-Rad estimates that government-owned companies produce at least fifty percent of Iran?s GNP. Some 65% or 70% of Iranian industries are government-owned, including oil and gas, steel, petrochemicals and electric power. * Dr. Mehdi Taqavi, another economist in Tehran, tells RFE/RL that privatization would result in better management and avoid wasteful spending and unnecessary hiring. * Dr. Jamshid Asadi, a Paris-based economist, says those who benefit from monopolies and special relations with the government should be considered as a part of the public sector economy. These include bazaar merchants close to the conservative Jamiat-e Mo?talefeh, the sons of high-level clerics, semi-private foundations and the hidden economic institutions. (Fereydoun Zarnegar) Religious Minorities Campaign for Equality with Muslims in Iran * Hoping to gain equality with Muslims, Iranian religious minorities believe they are close to receiving an endorsement from the Leader for the judiciary bill that would equalize for followers of all officially sanctioned religions in Iran the ?dieh? or damages due to victims of murder and assault. Yunatan Bitkuliha, Majles representative for the Assyrians, tells RFE/RL that all five religious minority MP?s worked on the bill to change what he terms as ?unfair? treatment of minorities. Vaheh Armen, a Christian poet and writer, tells RFE/RL that all minorities living in Iran pay equal taxes and should have equal protections. Tehran-based lawyer Mohammad Hussein Aghasi tells RFE/RL that, according to the IRI civil code, non-Muslims are not due any damages in case of death or injury. He adds that a religious ruling by major clerics set the damage for minority men at eight percent and for minority women at four percent of the damage due to a Muslim man. The bill to equalize this figure might face objections from the Guardians Council, unless the Leader endorses it. (Golnaz Esfandiari) Economy and the New Year Shopping and Travel The rush to stores for buying gifts and new clothes for the Iranian New Year celebrations on March 20, and the tourism activity during the new year holidays, should give a jolt to the dormant economy, especially to the tourism sector. (Fereydoun Khavand) WORLD - During Zinni peace mission, violence continues in occupied territories. (Jamshid Chalangi, Cairo) - King Abdullah of Jordan comments on the Middle East and fight against terrorism in an interview with Le Figaro. (Jean Khakzad, Paris) - In an interview with RFE/RL, professor Gabila Si, one of the 500 Israeli academicians who wrote to the UNSG demanding peace, explains the position of the peace faction in Israel. (Ahmad Ra?fat, Rome) - Five die in a bomb explosion in a church in Islamabad, Pakistan, including wife and daughter of an American diplomat. (Golnaz Esfandiari) - UK predicts EU will take hard measures against Robert Mugabe?s government in Zimbabwe. (Alireza Taheri) - Anti-globalism rally following EU summit meeting in Barcelona generates violent confrontations with police. (Jean Khakzad, Paris) - Oxford University will hold a conference on security and government, says Keyvan Tabari, a US-based legal scholar who plans to attend. (Shahran Tabari, London) - Dubai holds shopping festival. (Jamshid Chalangi, Cairo) - German philosopher Hans Georg Gadamer dies. (Obituary by Mehdi Khalaji) ARTS AND IDEAS New Thinking in Contemporary History * Inspired by a Russian princess, two Iranian Qajar-era reformists wrote social criticism from the point of view of a donkey. (Javad Tabatabai, Nazi Azima) Historical Research: Government in the Passage of Time * Tehran-based professor of political thought discusses the roots of renaissance. (Gholamhussein Mirzasaleh) Interview of the Week * Professor of Persian language and literature in Beijing University and the former head of Persian Department of that university, Dr. Zeng Yang Chin, tells RFE/RL about his three-volume Chinese-Persian-Chinese dictionaries, and the translation of Persian proverbs on which he is currently working. (Shahram Tehrani, Beijing)
در پي دعوت سناتور جوزف بايدن از نمايندگان مجلس شوراي اسلامي براي مذاكره مستقيم، عبدالله رمضان زاده، سخنگوي دولت گفت ديدار نمايندگان مجلس شوراي اسلامي با قانونگذاران آمريكايي براي از ميان بردن عدم اعتماد متقابل، از نطر دولت بلا مانع است، ولي دولت با هرگونه مداخله در امور داخلي مخالف است. احمد زيدآبادي، روزنامه نگار در تهران، در مصاحبه با راديوآزادي مي گويد تاموقعي كه رهبر جمهوري اسلامي چراغ سبز نشان ندهد، مذاكره امكان پذير نيست. وي مي افزايد گفتگوي نمايندگان مجلس دو كشور با يكديگر در كنفرانس بين المجالس مغرب از نظر دولت، مذاكره با آمريكا محسوب نمي شود. زيدآبادي مي گويد مواضع علي اكبر محتشمي، رييس فراكسيون دوم خرداد، در امور خارجي به محافظه كاران نزديك تر است و مورد تاييد جناح دوم خرداد نيست. زيدآبادي مي افزايد هاشمي رفسنجاني ترجيح مي دهد بهبود روابط با آمريكا از كانال خود او انجام شود و چون در حال حاضر در مقامي نيست كه بتواند اين كار را انجام دهد، به احتمال زياد با گفتگوي دولت اصلاح طلب با آمريكا مخالفت خواهد ورزيد. وي مي افزايد با توجه به اظهارنظرهاي ضدو نقيض رفسنجاني در باره آمريكا، به نظر مي رسد كه او تحليل مشخصي از اوضاع ندارد و بر اساس موج هاي خبري تحليل خود را عوض مي كند.
